Footsteps in snow, with pink noise behind them
Snow makes every step loud and everything else quiet, and that is the scene here. The footsteps lead, a mellow wind puts you outdoors, and pink noise stands in for the soft hush of a snowed-in evening. Pink noise is the gentler version of white noise, and it blurs voices and clatter better than a deep rumble does, though nothing makes words disappear. The steps are separate sounds with quiet between them, so this fits writing, winding down or a set break more than close concentration. Press play and it runs free in this browser. For a warmer walk, Autumn Forest Walk swaps snow for leaves and woodland calls.
Put some distance between you and the walker
If the steps feel like they are right beside you, take them down to around 30% and the walker moves off down the path. A little more wind makes the outdoors feel bigger, but do not use volume to fake a blizzard, because it just gets loud. Pink noise should be hard to separate from the air. Change one thing at a time and leave it alone for a minute before you decide. Snow crunches are sharp, so keep the overall level modest in headphones, and put a speaker across the room rather than a phone under your pillow.
Explore the sounds in this mix
Listen to each layer on its own: Crunchy Footsteps in Snow, Mellow Wind and Pink Noise. Or start from scratch in the free online sound mixer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove the footsteps?
Yes. Turn them off and you get a still winter evening: wind and pink noise, with nothing walking.
Is this a real-time recording of one walk?
No. It is three separate recordings, snow and wind and pink noise, played together at volumes you can change.
Why use pink noise with snow?
Snow sounds sparse on its own. Pink noise is a soft, even hiss that fills the gaps and takes the edge off voices and clatter in your own room.