The gentle buzz of a café is a favourite of remote workers and writers everywhere. A soft murmur of other people, just out of focus, can make solo work feel less isolating and, at the right level, easier to sustain.
The 'coffee shop effect'
A well-known study found that a moderate level of ambient noise (~70 dB), roughly a busy café, boosted performance on creative tasks compared with quiet, while high noise hurt it. It's one line of research rather than settled fact, but it fits the intuition: too quiet can feel isolating, too loud gets in the way, and the sweet spot sits in the middle.
Keep the voices blurred
The useful part of café sound is the blur, not the conversation. Research on office noise shows it's the intelligibility of speech, being able to make out words, that drives distraction, not the volume. Keep the murmur low enough that you can't follow any single voice, and it stays a backdrop rather than a competitor.
How to use it
- Keep café murmur low enough that no voice is intelligible.
- Add soft rain and light jazz for the classic café mood.
- Great for admin and email; drop it for deep reading.
Frequently asked questions
Is café noise good for working?+
For many people a moderate café murmur helps solo work feel less isolating, and there's some evidence a moderate ambient-noise level suits creative tasks. Keep it in the background, Coffee Shop and Rainy Café are built for it.
Why does coffee shop noise help focus?+
A steady, wordless blur masks sharper interruptions and adds a mild sense of energy, without any single sound demanding attention. The key is volume: research shows it's intelligible speech that distracts, so keep it low enough that you can't follow a conversation.