What is violet noise?
Violet noise has power that rises by 6 decibels per octave, so it is the exact mirror of brown noise. It can be made by differentiating white noise, which is how it is generated here: each sample is the difference between two successive random values.
The result is the highest, sharpest-sounding noise color: a thin, glassy hiss with almost no body. It is sometimes called purple noise.
What violet noise is used for
Its main use as a listening sound is masking high-pitched tinnitus. If your tinnitus is a high whistle, a quiet layer of violet noise can cover it with less overall volume than broadband noise, because its energy sits right where the ringing is. Some people prefer this to white noise for that reason.
Outside of listening, violet noise turns up in physics: the acoustic thermal noise of water, the faint hiss picked up by underwater microphones at high frequencies, has a violet spectrum.
How to make violet noise more comfortable
- Start with the volume low. High frequencies feel loud quickly.
- Mix in a little pink noise or grey noise for body, so the hiss feels less thin.
- Use Tone to darken it slightly if it feels piercing.
- For tinnitus, also try the notch tool on the tinnitus sound therapy page.
Violet noise among the noise colors
| Color | Spectral slope (per doubling of frequency) | Mirror of |
|---|---|---|
| Brown | -6 dB | Violet |
| Pink | -3 dB | Blue |
| White | 0 dB | Itself |
| Blue | +3 dB | Pink |
| Violet | +6 dB | Brown |
Frequently asked questions
Is violet noise the same as purple noise?
Yes. Violet noise and purple noise are two names for noise whose power rises 6 dB per octave.
Does violet noise help tinnitus?
Some people with high-pitched tinnitus find it masks the ringing well at a low volume. It does not cure tinnitus. If tinnitus is new, in one ear or pulses with your heartbeat, see a doctor.
Can I sleep to violet noise?
You can, but most people find it too sharp for sleep on its own. Pink, brown or grey noise are more common choices; violet works best as a quiet layer when high-pitched sounds are the problem.