White Noise + Rain = White Rain Noise ?

For the engineer, white noise is a signal that contains all frequencies in equal proportion, or, in other words, a signal whose spectrum is flat. For the mathematician, white noise is a signal made of uncorrelated samples, exactly like numbers output by a random number generator. Assuming that both engineers and mathematicians are right, we conclude that, when a source behaves like a random process, its sound should resemble white noise.

This is exactly what happens with rain. Every drop can be considered as an independent, uncorrelated, sound source. A gentle rain, made of sparse drops, will generate a pitter-patter sound, where you will still be able to hear each drop's distinctive sound. By increasing the rate and the number of drops, a heavier rain starts behaving as a huge random process, and its sound turns white.

Our white rain sound recording is totally natural: no synthetic white noise has been superimposed here. Yet, it sounds close to white noise. Not all rain sounds are white though, mostly because of the environment in which the rain falls alters the color of the sound too. Our recording has been performed in the silence of the night, in a huge space - namely the Harau Valley in Sumatra - and in the absence of any wind, as to produce the most even noise one can get.

This sound offers the exact same spectrum as white noise, and can be used in the same applications in the mind, such as noise blocking or tinnitus relief. If white noise ever sounded too synthetic for your ears, give our white rain noise a try.

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