When I was a teenager I had a record (yes, a physical LP) called Environments (New Concepts In Stereo Sound – Disc 4 – Ultimate Thunderstorm / Gentle Rain In A Pine Forest). I have very happy memories of sitting in my parents’ basement, having my mind blown by a book by Philip K. Dick (Eye in the Sky, anyone?) while listening to a thunderstorm on the stereo speakers.
I write to music – usually instrumental, John Barry or James Horner. But sometimes, when I want to get into a specific writing mood, or relax otherwise, I listen to sounds like thunderstorms.
There are plenty of cozy (fantasy and otherwise) sounds on Spotify, and I’ll link to a bunch on another post. Here I’m talking about web sites that generate audio on the fly, so you can listen for hours and it’ll never repeat, or stop, or give you a needle-scratch.
This site has a many different soundscapes, including Distant Thunder and Primeval Forest. There’s a whole section for Fantasy soundscapes (Medieval Village, anyone?). You can tune each soundscape by dialing the components up or down. It’s free, but you can donate $10 or up for access to all 375+ ones. No ads.
Ambient-Mixer
Another bunch of soundscapes. The site has ads, and it’s not as distraction-free or as pleasant as myNoise. Examples are Bayou Stillness and Wild Summer Forest.
Some Others
- Nature Mixer – very pretty site, somewhat video-oriented.
- Moodil – DYI, dial-your-own soundscape by clicking buttons for rain, fire, insects and so on. Good if you want to have full control.
- A Soft Murmur – similar to Moodil, but more limited. Additional sounds cost $14.99/year. Has timers.