You Don’t Have to Hang Out In a Lab to Stimulate Your Brain
Scientific research reveals that a moderate level of noise, about seventy decibels, stimulates concentration and creativity. That’s comparable to what you’d hear in a busy coffee shop.
This post provides several ways for you to find and listen to the right sounds. Although a television in the background is the first choice for many writers, we’ll focus on websites.
If you don’t want to burden your PC while you listen, play the sounds on a cellphone, tablet, or spare computer.
How Loud Is Seventy Decibels?
You can download decibel-reading apps or computer programs, but you’ll obtain more accurate results with decibel meters, which are available for less than $50 USD.
A different approach: Let your ears be your guide. If the background noise distracts you, lower its volume. You want it only loud enough to encourage your muse.
International Radio Broadcasts
Radio Garden “plants seeds” and targets a nearby radio station. If you wish to find other stations, try the Radio Garden search function. You can also zoom in and out or drag the map. If you know of a station they don’t carry, fill out their form (under Settings), and if it meets their criteria, they’ll add it.
This is a great resource for anyone studying a foreign language. Search for the applicable country, find a station you like, and add it to your favorites.
Be sure to adjust your volume: louder for language learning, quieter for background noise.
Coffee Shops
Capitalizing on the coffee-shop-for-inspiration research, sites like Coffitivity.com provide audio you can listen to while you work.
Coffitivity’s free version provides several selections from Morning Murmur to Texas Teahouse.
They also provide a premium package that provides more sounds — all without you “having to glance up from your device!”
“… our goal at Coffitivity is simple: we’re here to help you work better. We started with a way to boost your creativity and now we’re working on a suite of tools to give you the extra kick in other aspects of your work day.”
Rain
Rain: natural, simple, relaxing. You’ll find it at Raining.fm. No account is necessary, although you’ll be able to access more rain choices if you join. They also provide a phone app that’s available on Apple and Google Play.
The Writer’s Lexicon series
and additional resources on my Facebook page.
YouTube
YouTube provides loads of helpful videos. Search for background noise for writing, and you’ll discover productions ranging from a few minutes to several hours in length. Save your favorites to a playlist for future listening.
myNoise
Whether you like rain on a tent or sleeping dragons, you’ll find them at myNoise.
“Noise machines can be used by all audiences in a variety of ways throughout our daily lives; whether you’re trying to work, study, relax, or even sleep.”
More Coffee Shops — Plus Restaurants and Cafeterias
Hipstersound creates “a positive atmosphere, on-demand” that helps you “stay focused ▪ improve creativity ▪ relax by creating a unique environment.”
Some sound streams are available as public demos, while others require that you create an account.
Fandom Creations
Ambient-Mixer “… is a community driven project offering you some unique quality soundscapes with different atmospheres for chilling, relaxing or your recordings using our endless audio loops. You can further effectively mix and create your own sounds absolutely free, with no software installations required. … All atmospheres are royalty free audio files and you can use them even in your commercial projects, thanks to the Creative Commons Sampling Plus license.
“Each one of these themes have great sounds that have the effect of making you enter a world of wild and beautiful nature, fantasy, science fiction, thrill, horror, ambient noise, adventure or even meditation. Every atmosphere sound is related to each of the images and has the power of giving you a unique experience by pulling you into these worlds.
“On listening to our complex sound atmospheres, you will be amazed at finding how accurately the sound matches what you desire for relaxation or your audio and video recordings. Ambient-mixer.com gives you the opportunity to mix, create and share a new ideology in sound atmospheres with your friends and family.”
Ambient-Mixer offers apps on iTunes and Google Play too.
Variety from Noisili
“Mix different sounds and create your perfect sound environment to work and relax” at Noisili. Listen to a random playlist or mix and match the sounds to sample what they provide.
Noisili’s free option allows 16 sounds, 15 hours a day streaming, 3 curated playlists, a simple timer, and a simple text editor. They also provide Pro and Business accounts with more options.
Free MP3s
If you don’t see what you want at any of the preceding websites, search the net for one or more of the following.
- free mp3s nature sounds
- free mp3s relaxation sounds
- free mp3s white noise
- free mp3s purring cat
What types of sounds relax you or make you feel more creative? Add them to the list.
Download what works best for you, and play the MP3s on a continuous loop.
If you want to trigger a feeling of anger for a confrontational incident in your WIP, try:
- free mp3s snoring
- free mp3s arguing
Are you writing humor? Get in the mood by searching for:
- free mp3s laughter
- free mp3s comedy
Maybe you’re working on a horror novel. What makes you feel scared or uneasy?
- free mp3s evil laughter
- free mp3s screaming
- free mp3s creaking stairs
… etc.
Isn’t Technology Wonderful?
How did we ever manage without cellphones, computers, and the internet? Am I carbon-dating myself?
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The Writer’s Lexicon series
and additional resources on my Facebook page.
If I have on music or TV, I am distracted, so I use Coffitivity a lot, and when I think of it, rain sounds. I found a Youtube of 4 hours of “pirate ship in a storm”, which was strangely helpful.
Nice to see what works for others.
“Pirate ship in a storm” sounds interesting, Holly.
You like Coffitivity too? [thumbs-up]
Good luck with your creativity inspiration, and stay safe!
I’ve used rain falls and thunder storms from music providers, but always seem to fall back to turning on the TV to either The Andy Griffith Show or Alfred Hitchcock. 😀
I’ll definitely try some of these out. Might be better than Barney and Otis arguing in the background! 😀 😀
Thanks!
Heh heh. Those TV shows are almost opposites — eclectic tastes you have, young Jedi. 🙂
I hope you find something you like among the resources here.
Stay safe, Felicia!
Hi Miss Kathy,
Wow, what a great list of noise makers. I’ve checked out most of them. I love Radio Garden. I’ve been listening to music all over the world. Cool!
For writing, I do best when there’s a lot of stuff going on at the same time. I have the tv on, music playing and a game I switch to when there’s a lull in my writing. The music depends on what I’m writing. I wrote a scary story a while ago while I listened to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I turned it up loud. Scary!
Thanks for another cool post.
Stay warm and safe.
Wearing a warm hoody elbow bumps.
I grew up in a large family, and noise doesn’t usually bother me — although I don’t like it loud. Kudos for finding the inspiration that works best for you.
You stay warm and safe, too, Lenny. Thanks for stopping by again.
Elbow bumps and a huge smile!
I’m
You’re not dating yourself. I’m still trying to get used to electricity.
Heh heh. I remember when my folks burned dinosaur manure to keep warm. 😉
Thanks for the laugh, Tom. Stay safe!
How interesting. All of us are unique, but I find background noise distracting, especially when reading or writing. When I taught elementary school, my classroom was a lively place. I often had 4-5 activities going on simultaneously. In the middle of all the action, I’d look up and see students 100% immersed in a book, tuning everything else out. I’m envious of those who can.
I also find noise distracting if it’s too loud. Have you ever tried listening to wordless recordings such as rain, waves, birds twittering, laughter, white noise, etc.?
Good luck with your writing, and stay safe, Peter!
I Lloyd this list of fabulous “sound machines” to try for my writing. I can’t wait to listen to them today. Thank you for this creative blog!
My pleasure, Lisa.
Happy listening, and stay safe!
I usually listen to ocean waves to muffle distracting external noise. Listening to sounds that are relevant to what I’m writing is a great idea. I will definitely try this.
Thanks, Deborah.
Sometimes “getting in the mood” oils the creativity machine.
Stay safe!
Nice idea. I go every Wednesday to a pub where I live (Wetherspoons, unfortunately has some negative connotations) which is the place I do my writing although probably as much as anything because I’m lazy. When I work from home, I have an MP3 playlist of soundtracks which I presume does a similar thing.
Hmm. Weatherspoons. Maybe you should record the sounds for playback at home?
Sounds like you’re on the write playtrack. 😉
Stay safe, James!