Suggest a Noisemaker Replacement

July 10, 2011 9:11 PM

I am traveling with my wife, who needs a noisemaker to sleep. We have one on my iPhone, but I left my charger so I can't use it. I do, though, have my macbook and iTunes on it. I am looking for a way to make the sound of fans, so that she gets a good sleep tonight til I can get a new charger. Any suggestions?
posted by scunning to Health & Fitness (15 answers total)

Does this work? Simply Noise
posted by zinzin at 9:15 PM on July 10, 2011 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Whitenoise and background noise mp3s can be found here.
posted by pompomtom at 9:17 PM on July 10, 2011 [2 favorites]

Does it have to be fans? If you have a radio handy, you can try scanning the lowest bands until you find static, then adjusting the volume as desired.
posted by unknowncommand at 9:23 PM on July 10, 2011

If you're staying at a h/motel, ask the front desk if you can borrow a charger. Often they have a whole box full of chargers left behind by guests that they loan out. On occasion an i-Phone user working for the hotel has also loaned me one.
posted by carmicha at 9:26 PM on July 10, 2011

Second carmicha. Ask front desk. I have never failed to find a charger that worked for me in their box of chargers left behind.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:31 PM on July 10, 2011

Assuming you mean a blowing fan and not an audience...how you asked the front desk if they have a fan you can borrow. Low tech solution, but if it helps...it helps.
posted by inturnaround at 10:06 PM on July 10, 2011

I like NatureSounds for this. You can customize your sounds, with up to four different ones to create the exact atmosphere you're looking for. Its super easy and you can either stream sounds live or save as an mp3 for later.
posted by NoraCharles at 10:09 PM on July 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

Is there any particular reason you can't buy a cheap fan at Wal*Mart and drag it along with you? Inelegant, but they're not that big, especially if you disassemble and put it back in the box each time.
posted by gregoryg at 10:24 PM on July 10, 2011

Does this work? Simply Noise

Use the oscillating feature on this and it sounds very nearly like a fan. I always expect to feel a wave of blowing air as it gets louder.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:28 PM on July 10, 2011

Seconding gregoryg... I run a real fan all night. You can get a really cheap battery-operated one at Walmart, usually, $6-12. (Though you don't mention where you're traveling.) It uses D-cells and it's loud enough - I use it when the power goes out and I can't run my other fan.
posted by IndigoRain at 12:09 AM on July 11, 2011

birdsongradio.com is pretty cool even though its limited to bird noises
posted by 3mendo at 2:56 AM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]

Assume you got this sorted but I sometimes use Audacity to generate noise tracks. Open it up, under the Generate menu select "Noise" record a minute or five, play it on repeat all night long.
posted by jessamyn at 7:58 AM on July 11, 2011

Just to add to the thread, a great way to get white noise is to simply set your clock radio between stations and turn the volume up. It's not a fan sound, but it will drown out any noise you might be hearing.
posted by Gilbert at 10:28 AM on July 11, 2011

If the sound of rain floats her boat: RainyMood!
posted by ouke at 11:52 AM on July 11, 2011

Blow on the microphone? *shrug* I actually videotaped my dryer for this and made it into an MP3 that I have on a looped playlist.

Five years now my wife has needed white noise at night. We're down to an iPod Nano and a tiny, ovoid $9 speaker from Staples that charges via USB.
posted by wenestvedt at 1:21 PM on July 11, 2011