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Notched noise for tinnitus: what it is and what research shows

Updated October 7, 2026 · 6 minute read

Notched sound is ordinary noise or music with a slice cut out around the pitch of your tinnitus. It's one of the more interesting ideas in tinnitus research, and also one where the results are genuinely mixed. Here's how it works, how to try it, and what the studies actually found.

What "notched" means

Picture the full range of pitches you can hear, from low rumbles to high hiss. A normal noise like pink noise has energy across all of them. A notched version has a gap, usually about one octave wide, centered on your tinnitus frequency. Everything above and below the gap plays as normal; the band around your tinnitus pitch is silent.

For example, if your tinnitus matches 6,000 Hz, a one-octave notch removes roughly 4,200 Hz to 8,500 Hz and leaves the rest.

The idea behind it

The researchers who developed it wanted to reduce activity in the part of the hearing system tuned to the tinnitus pitch. Nerve cells in the hearing system that respond to neighboring pitches tend to quiet each other down, a process called lateral inhibition. The theory is that listening to sound that stimulates the pitches around the tinnitus, but not the tinnitus pitch itself, might strengthen that quieting effect over time.

It's a reasonable theory with some brain-imaging support, but it's still a theory.

What the research found

The honest summary: the first small study was promising. A larger, well-controlled trial didn't find a clear benefit on its main measures, and a later study found notched noise did no better than regular noise. Some individuals may still find it helpful, and like other sound-based approaches it's low-risk at sensible volumes. But it isn't a proven treatment.

How to try it

1. Find your pitch with a sweep and the 1% matcher, including the octave check. Repeat on a few days and use your most consistent match.
2. Keep the volume low. Research on sound therapy often uses the "mixing point", the level where the noise and your tinnitus just begin to blend and you can still hear both. Lower is fine; there's no need to cover the tinnitus completely.
3. Be consistent. The studies above used one to three hours a day for months. A few minutes won't tell you much either way.
4. Track how you feel, not just how loud the ringing seems. Note sleep, distress and how much the tinnitus bothers you each week.
5. Stop if your tinnitus gets louder or any sound is uncomfortable.

In the Tinnitus Sounds Sounds tab, Notched noise cuts a one-octave gap around the pitch you set on the Match tab, and you can mix it with rain or other sounds. On a phone it keeps playing with the screen locked.

Common questions

Is notched noise the same as notched music?

Same idea, different source. Notched music removes the band from songs you choose; notched noise removes it from a steady noise. The 2010 and 2016 studies used music; the 2021 comparison used noise.

Does it matter if the notch is a bit off?

A one-octave notch is fairly wide, so small errors of a few percent are unlikely to matter. An octave error matters a lot, because the notch would miss your tinnitus pitch entirely.

Can I use it while sleeping?

Many people use background sound at night. Keep it quiet and use a timer if you don't want it on all night.