Music Box Lullaby for Babies

A tiny music box playing a slow lullaby in a calm waltz rhythm, written just for Shush Bean. No words and no drums, just warm, rounded notes over a whisper-soft hush, with four gentle variations so it never feels repetitive.

About this sound

Melody	An original lullaby in 3/4 time, about 77 beats a minute
Variations	Four 37.5-second variations: plain, with soft bass, repeat, and a lower, softer close
Sound	Music box tines with a soft room echo, over a very quiet hush
Filter	5 kHz low-pass, no sharp “ting”
Length	10 hours, seamless loop
Screen	Picture for a few seconds, then fades to fully black

What the research says

Lullabies and babies

In a randomised study of 272 premature babies in 11 hospital NICUs, music therapists played and sang lullabies and other gentle rhythms. Babies’ heart rates were lower during the lullabies, and parent-chosen lullabies were linked to better feeding ^[1]. That study used live music in hospital, not recordings, so it tells us lullabies can calm babies, not that any video will.

Why a music box

A music box is soft, slow and simple: no sudden drums or voices to startle. We wrote our own melody so it is calm, predictable and copyright-free, and we filtered out the sharp “ting” at the top of each note.

A note on routine

The same short song at the same point of every bedtime can become a cue that sleep is coming. Many families use a lullaby for the last few minutes, then switch to steady noise for the night.

Why we fade to a dark screen

Young children’s body clocks are very sensitive to light in the evening. In a small study of preschoolers (ages 3–5), one hour of bright evening light cut the sleep hormone melatonin by 88%, and it stayed low for at least 50 minutes after the light was switched off ^[2]. A phone screen is far dimmer than that study’s light, and babies were not studied, but the lesson is simple: the less light in the nursery, the better. That is why every Shush Bean video shows its picture only briefly and then fades to a fully black screen.

How loud is too loud

Researchers in Toronto measured 14 infant sleep machines at full volume. At 30 cm (about 1 foot) every one of them was louder than 50 dBA, the limit recommended for hospital nurseries, and three could exceed 85 dBA ^[3]. Their advice: keep the device well away from the crib, keep the volume low, and do not run it at full volume all night. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ safe sleep guidance still comes first: baby on their back, on a firm flat surface, in their own crib or bassinet with nothing else in it ^[4].

How to use it

• Play it during the last feed or story, so it becomes a “time for sleep” signal.
• Keep it quiet: a lullaby should be just above a whisper.
• If your baby wakes easily to melody, switch to one of our steady noises once asleep.

Questions

References

1. Loewy J, Stewart K, Dassler AM, Telsey A, Homel P. The effects of music therapy on vital signs, feeding, and sleep in premature infants. Pediatrics. 2013;131(5):902–918. Link
2. Akacem LD, Wright KP, LeBourgeois MK. Sensitivity of the circadian system to evening bright light in preschool-age children. Physiological Reports. 2018;6(5):e13617. Link
3. Hugh SC, Wolter NE, Propst EJ, Gordon KA, Cushing SL, Papsin BC. Infant sleep machines and hazardous sound pressure levels. Pediatrics. 2014;133(4):677–681. Link
4. Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; AAP Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Sleep-related infant deaths: updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2022057990. Link

This page summarizes published research for general information. It is not medical advice. Research on sleep sounds for babies is still limited; talk to your pediatrician about your baby’s sleep and crying.