Which sound?
There is no right answer, only the one you stop noticing first. A few starting points:
- A steady wall of sound to cover traffic or a snoring partner: white, pink or brown noise, from brightest to deepest.
- Something real, with a place in it: rain on a window, a river or the sea at night.
- Warmth: an open fire, or a fire with rain on the window.
- A summer night: crickets, with the river or the sea.
- Weather with a bit of drama: a storm far off.
The colours of noise
Noise colours describe how a sound’s power is spread from low frequencies to high. Lalai makes its own, so each one is exactly what its name says.
| Colour | How its power is spread | What it sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| White | Even power at every frequency | A bright, even hiss, like an untuned radio |
| Pink | Falls 3 dB per octave, so every octave carries equal power | A softer, fuller hiss, close to steady rain |
| Brown | Falls 6 dB per octave, so the low end dominates | A deep rumble, like a waterfall heard from a distance |
| Green | Pink noise with a broad lift centred near 500 Hz | A rounded, middle-weighted wash, like distant surf |
How these are made
The rain, storm, sea, crickets, river and fire are real field recordings, each chosen from several candidates for being even and free of sudden noises, and each released by its recordist into the public domain under CC0. Every page credits who made it. The noise is generated for Lalai and owned outright.
Each loop is a stretch of the recording with its end crossfaded into its start, so it turns without a click, and every loop is set to the same quiet level, so switching between them won’t make you jump.
All night, with the screen off. A browser tab stops when your phone locks. In Lalai the sound keeps playing, fades out on a timer, and you can layer up to five sounds with music underneath. The mixer, the timer and a free sound in every category are free for good.
Listening safely
- Start low. Set your device volume low before you press play, and turn it up only as far as you need. The loops here are mastered quietly on purpose.
- Not too close. A phone on the bedside table is closer to your ear than it seems. Avoid falling asleep in earphones at volume.
- Use the timer. It fades the sound out rather than stopping it dead, so the quiet arrives gradually.
Lalai is for relaxation and enjoyment. We don’t claim that this or any sound changes how you sleep, and if poor sleep goes on for weeks, please see a doctor. More on protecting your hearing.
Sleep stories, too
Lalai is mostly a place for hour-long sleep stories for adults, read slowly over painted scenes with sounds like these underneath. The Night Train Through the Snow is free in full.