If I plan on being productive I can’t listen to ‘regular’ music. It distracts me. I start singing along or get reminded of a different track, so end up poking around my library and… Well, that’s that.

But by the same token I can’t work in silence (living with 6 cats means that’s not a possibility, though) but the inconsistency jars and sudden clatters and meows interrupt.

My solution that is to listen to ambient noise.

I find it helps nullify the misdirection my brain craves, land provide a soundscape that wraps the noise of kitty play time.

Ambient noise is the noise that play out in the background of daily lives; the rain drumming on a window, the intelligible hum of coffee shop chatter, the gossiping of birds on the wind, and so on.

Listening to these sounds can force a racing mind to slow down, rebase and refocus on what matters.

Ambient Noise App for Ubuntu

Google Play and Apple app stores are packed full of ambient and white noise apps. Now a similar tool is available natively on Ubuntu.

‘Ambient Noise‘ — as the name might suggest — is an audio player designed specifically for playing these sounds. It even integrates with the Ubuntu Sound Menu for a neat ‘pick, click and relax’ experience.

The app, which is also known as ‘ANoise Player’ and is made by Marcos Costales, comes with a set of 8 high-quality sounds.

These 8 presets cover various ambient atmospheres, ranging from the rhythmic sound of rain, to the tranquil tones of nature at night, and back to the buzz of a bustling coffee shop in the afternoon.

Install ANoise Player in Ubuntu

Ambient Noise player for Ubuntu is a free application and is available to install from its own dedicated PPA.

To do this open a new Terminal window and run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:costales/anoise

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install anoise

Once installed simply open it from the Unity Dash (or your DE’s equivalent), pick your preferred noise using Sound Menu and then …relax! The app even remembers which sound you used last.

Even so, give it a try out and see if it suits your needs. I would say let me know what you think, but I will be too focused to hear — and so might you!