Green noise
Green noise concentrates its energy in the middle of the audible range, around 500 Hz. It is often described as the "background noise of the world": calm, airy and neither boomy nor hissy.
- Spectrum
- Band-shaped: peak near 500 Hz, rolled off above and below
- Good for
- Relaxing without deep bass or high hiss
- People who find brown noise muffled and white noise sharp
- Reading and light focus
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What is green noise?
Unlike white, pink and brown, green noise has no formal scientific definition. The most common meaning is noise filtered to the middle of the spectrum, so it keeps the natural "wash" of a waterfall or wind without the rumble or the fizz. On the dial it appears as a single hump centred around 500 Hz.
Our version is wideband noise shaped by a smooth bell curve about two octaves wide, with a faint tail so it never sounds like a narrow tone.
Is green noise good for sleep?
Green noise became popular online in 2023 as an alternative sleep sound. There is no research on it specifically, but it works on the same principle as other noise: a steady sound that makes sudden changes less noticeable. If you like its gentle middle, it is a fine choice.
Questions
What does green noise sound like?
Like a distant waterfall or wind through trees: a soft, even hush focused on the middle frequencies.
Is green noise real?
It is a popular label rather than a scientific standard. Here it means noise with most energy in a band around 500 Hz.
Green noise vs pink noise?
Pink noise spans all octaves equally; green noise emphasises the mid-range and cuts deep bass and bright treble.
What is green noise good for?
Relaxation, sleep and light focus, especially for people who find brown noise muffled and white noise hissy. Its energy sits in the mid-range, where much of nature's background sound lives.
Is it okay to listen to green noise all night?
Yes, at a low, comfortable volume. Like any steady noise it is safe for adults when kept quieter than normal conversation.
What is the difference between green noise and brown noise?
Brown noise piles its energy into the deep bass and falls 6 dB per octave. Green noise is centred around 500 Hz, so it has less rumble and sounds lighter and airier.