The addition of background sound to a) cover up (“mask”) other sounds thought to be distracting, and b) provide confidentiality for people conversing in an open space. Used in offices, medical facilities, courtrooms, and other spaces where noise hinders productivity and sensitive conversations need to be kept private, sound masking typically involves a digital white or pink noise generator connected to a series of hidden speakers. Noticeable at first, sound masking becomes effectively inaudible as listeners quickly grow accustomed to it and it becomes part of the ambient sound.