What is an ambient sound generator?
An ambient sound generator plays steady background sound, such as rain, a fan, a busy cafe or plain noise, to mask distracting noises and give your ears something predictable to ignore. This one lets you layer up to 17 sounds, set the level of each, and keep the mix you like.
Every sound is synthesised live in your browser with the Web Audio API rather than played from a recording. There is nothing to download, it starts instantly, and randomly timed details (thunder, crackles, birdsong, key presses) mean the mix never loops in an obvious way.
How to use it
- Pick a starting point. Click a preset, or click any sound tile to turn it on.
- Balance the layers. Use each tile's slider so one sound leads and the others sit underneath. Most mixes work best with two or three sounds.
- Set the master volume low. Background sound should be just loud enough to cover distractions, not to listen to.
- Add a timer if you need one. Choose 25 minutes for a focus session or up to 8 hours for sleep. The sound fades out over the final minute.
- Save it. Click Save current mix to keep it under My mixes, or copy a link to open the same mix on another device. Your last mix is also remembered for next time.
Turn on Gentle variation if a static mix starts to feel tiring: each sound then drifts slowly up and down in level, like real weather.
Which sound for what
| Sound | What it is like | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| White noise | Bright, even hiss across all frequencies | Masking speech and sharp noises |
| Pink noise | Softer and deeper than white, like steady rain | Long work sessions, sleep |
| Brown noise | Deep rumble, like a waterfall or plane cabin | Sleep, covering low traffic or neighbour noise |
| Rain, heavy rain, fan | Natural broadband noise with texture | Reading, studying, sleep |
| Cafe, typing, distant traffic | Busy but unintelligible activity | Writing and work for people who focus better with people around |
| Birds, creek, crickets, fire | Sparse, irregular natural detail | Relaxing, winding down |
| Clock | A steady tick-tock | A gentle sense of pace for timed work |
If you only need one plain noise colour with tone and modulation controls, the white noise generator has more options. To pair sound with timed work blocks, open the Pomodoro timer in another tab.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ambient sound generator free?
Yes. There is no signup, no account and no ads in the player. Everything runs in your browser.
Are these real recordings?
No. Every sound is synthesised live: filtered noise for rain, wind, fans and the noise colours, and randomly timed events for thunder, crackles, birdsong, ticks and key presses. Nothing is downloaded, so it starts instantly, and the random events mean it never repeats exactly.
What is the difference between white, pink and brown noise?
White noise has equal energy at every frequency, so it sounds bright and hissy. Pink noise has equal energy per octave, so it is softer, like steady rain. Brown noise drops off faster still, giving a deep rumble. Try each at low volume and keep the one you notice least.
Can I use it to fall asleep?
Yes. Set the timer and the sound fades out gently over the last minute instead of cutting off. Keep the volume low.
Does it keep playing in a background tab?
On desktop browsers, yes. Phones may pause web audio when the screen locks or you switch apps, so keep the tab open in the foreground if that happens.
Where are my saved mixes stored?
In your browser's local storage on this device. Nothing is sent to a server. Use Copy link to this mix to move a mix to another device or share it.