A Day at Work

As we try to bring soothing content into the homes of our followers, we are constantly looking for new sounds to capture. Last week, we realized they may be closer than we think. The beaches in LA are maybe not known for their pristine beauty, but they sure have some interesting sounds.

Our "day at work" started at 5 AM - not because we're morning people (though we're learning to be), but because the beaches are quieter before the city wakes up. Armed with our portable recording equipment, we set out to capture the authentic sounds of the Pacific Ocean as it meets the California coast.

What we discovered was that each beach has its own acoustic personality. Venice Beach, with its mix of urban energy and ocean waves, creates a unique soundscape that somehow combines the meditative quality of water with the gentle hum of a city slowly coming to life. Manhattan Beach offers cleaner, more consistent wave sounds, while Malibu provides the dramatic crashes of waves against rocks.

The challenge with recording in urban coastal areas is filtering out the sounds you don't want - airplane engines, early morning joggers, street cleaning trucks - while preserving the authentic character of the place. We've learned to be patient, sometimes waiting 20-30 minutes for the perfect moment when the ocean sounds can shine through clearly.

One of our most successful recordings came from a small, relatively unknown beach in Palos Verdes. The waves there have a gentler, more rhythmic quality, and the surrounding cliffs create a natural amphitheater that amplifies the water sounds beautifully. It's become one of our most popular sleep soundtracks.

Working outdoors has taught us to be adaptable and to find beauty in unexpected places. Not every recording session produces usable content, but every session teaches us something new about sound, about nature, and about the art of deep listening.

We've come to see our "work" not just as content creation, but as a practice of mindfulness and presence. When you're sitting by the ocean with professional recording equipment, you have no choice but to be fully present, to notice every subtle change in the wind, every variation in the wave patterns.

It's this quality of presence that we hope comes through in our recordings - not just the technical quality of the sound, but the meditative energy of the moment when it was captured. After all, relaxation isn't just about what you hear, but about connecting with the peaceful intention behind the sounds.