White noise: sound, difference and use in the evening

What is white noise?

White noise is a random signal with the same power per hertz across all frequencies. Because each higher octave spans twice as many frequencies as the one below, the high tones carry more energy. That is why the ear hears white noise as bright and hissing, like a hiss or a spray.

The name is a simplified picture borrowed from optics: just as white light mixes many colors, white noise mixes all audible frequencies equally. In everyday life you know it as the rush of a fan, an air conditioner or an old TV with no signal.

White, pink, brown and green noise compared

Noise colors describe how loudness is spread across pitches. From brightest to darkest:

Many people find pure white noise too sharp over time. That is why Taceora gently rolls off the highs. Try the colors one after another on a single evening.

What people use white noise for

With its many high components, white noise is especially good at covering bright, sudden sounds. Many people use it like this:

• to soften voices, footsteps or rattling sounds from the neighbors
• as a steady sound for falling asleep, if they are used to a fan
• while studying, reading or working in a noisy open-plan office
• on the road, for example in a hotel or on a train, as a familiar sound

Try it in your browser

At the top of this page you find the noise generator with white noise preselected. Start quietly, compare white with brown, pink and green and set a timer if you like. The noise is created live in your browser; nothing is downloaded or stored.

White noise in Taceora

Since version 1.8.1, Taceora has white noise in the Noise group, together with brown, pink and green noise, a distant swell, gentle wind and a fan.

• White noise: Even, soft hiss with the highs gently rolled off.
• Part of Complete (one-time purchase, no subscription). Without a purchase you can use warm brown noise and the ocean, no account needed.
• Sleep timer: 15, 30 or 60 minutes, or no time limit; with a timer the sound fades gently at the end.
• Keeps playing with the screen locked, and works offline after the one-time download.

How to use it in the evening

White noise quickly feels loud because the ear is very sensitive to high tones. A few rules help:

1. Pick white noise or, if it feels too bright, pink noise.
2. Keep the volume low: the noise should cover sounds, not drown them out.
3. Do not put the phone right next to your pillow; keep it a little farther away.
4. Set the sleep timer to 30 or 60 minutes and put the phone aside.

Whether noise helps you fall asleep is individual, and the research is limited. Taceora is a relaxation product, not a medical device; if you have lasting sleep problems, talk to a doctor.