Noise

noise, in acoustics, any undesired sound, either one that is intrinsically objectionable or one that interferes with other sounds that are being listened to. In electronics and information theory, noise refers to those random, unpredictable, and undesirable signals, or changes in signals, that mask the desired information content. Noise in radio transmission appears as static and in television as snow.

White noise is a complex signal or sound that covers the entire range of audible frequencies, all of which possess equal intensity. White noise is analogous to white light, which contains roughly equal intensities of all frequencies of visible light. A good approximation to white noise is the static that appears between radio stations on the FM band.

Pink noise contains all frequencies of the audible spectrum but with an intensity that decreases with increases in frequency at a rate of three decibels per octave. This decrease roughly corresponds to that of acoustic (nonelectronic) musical instruments or ensembles; thus, pink noise has been used in checking listening rooms and auditoriums for their acoustic characteristics, such as reverberation time and undesirable resonance behaviour. It is also used in audio equalizers to produce a linear intensity-versus-frequency response in the listening environment.

Coloured noise refers to noise that may contain a wide audible spectrum but shows a greater intensity in a narrow band of frequencies. An example is “whistling” wind.