Over the past few years ASMR has gone from being an obscure topic buried deep in forums with just a few participants, to being the subject of thousands of YouTube videos and Reddit posts. ASMR is increasingly catching the attention of researchers and the mainstream media. For people who have experienced ASMR there is a never-ending desire to experience new and stronger triggers. For people who have not yet experienced this incredible, indescribable sensation, there is an increasing desire to find the right trigger to launch them on an incredible ASMR journey.

The best place to start when looking for new ASMR triggers is to explore the most popular ASMR sounds. Not a lot is known about ASMR. There is considerable debate if it is even possible for most people to experience it. But, if you are serious about making new ASMR discoveries you should start with these popular sounds. If you are attracted to any of these sounds, a simple YouTube search will lead you plenty of videos for you to experiment with. Each section also includes a link to a video you can start with.

Whispering

The sound and sensation of someone whispering in your ear is one of the most common ASMR sounds and a big trigger for many people. There are different types of whispering videos. The most effective ones are in stereo and give you the sensation of hearing the whisper first in one ear and then in the other ear. Some people who have this trigger are not able to get the ASMR sensation from a video because they also need the physical sensation of someone’s breath close to their ear. However, most people with the whispering trigger enjoy the many whispering videos available online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5I6fAcp_sk

Soft Talking

Some people group soft talking together with whispering. But, the sounds are distinct. Some people will enjoy both a whispering trigger and a soft talking trigger, but others prefer one over the other. There is a lot of variety in soft talking videos. You may be attracted more to female or male voices. Sometimes it is only a few particular soft talking voices that give you the ASMR sensation. This trigger requires a lot of experimentation. You may need to try a variety of different voices before you can know if soft talking is an ASMR sound you enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBndOqVQWu4

Tapping

Just like with soft voices, there are many different types of tapping. Some people have a general tapping trigger while others enjoy a more specific tapping trigger like the sound of tapping with long nails or only being attracted to tapping on certain surfaces. Tapping sounds also vary in the regularity of their rhythm. Some people prefer a steady beat while others get a stronger ASMR sensation from a variety in the tapping pattern.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbvxlvvrLuU

Scratching

Scratching is a distinct trigger from tapping. Scratching may involve a single surface or a number of different surfaces. Some people experience a more intense ASMR trigger when the scratching is rapid, while others prefer slow scratching. Scratching can be done with hands and nails or with a tool. Writing on a chalkboard is a trigger related to both scratching and tapping that is also quite popular.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOYHlLhlMM0

Brushing

Brushing is a trigger that often accompanies personal attention videos. But, many people also are triggered just by the sound of the brush against the microphone. Like all triggers, everyone will have different preferences in terms of the intensity of the sound, the type of brush, and the speed of the brushing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX6SPJxurLo

Massage and Personal Attention

These ASMR videos are becoming quite popular. They usually combine several different triggers. A typical personal attention video will include some type of role play where you are getting a haircut, having makeup applied, or getting a massage. The videos often include soft talking, brushing, and other ASMR triggers. Before you decide if this trigger works for you, you should try several different content creators and different scenarios. You may only be triggered by a certain combination. If you are lucky, you may have a more general trigger and enjoy almost all personal attention videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14NDOVXeMCA

Water

Long before ASMR was as widely known as it is today, water sounds were known to be relaxing. However, for many people water sounds go far beyond just relaxing and instead trigger an ASMR response. Water sounds come in a wide variety. One especially popular trigger is the sound of water being poured from one container to another. Others are drawn to ocean sounds or sounds of water sloshing around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LTbk9IwZPE

SKSKSK

Mouth sounds of all kinds are growing in popularity in the ASMR world. One of the most popular is the sound “sksksk”. Similar to whispering, most ASMR content creators record this sound in stereo so that listeners first hear the sound in one ear and then the other ear. Most videos use the “sksksk” sound in combination with other triggers. Different creators perform the sound at different volumes, different intensities, and different speeds. Just like with all the other ASMR sounds, you may find you are attracted to certain creators over others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9eZ00bRCGA

Bob Ross

Many people first became aware of their ASMR by watching Bob Ross and his show “Joy of Painting”. His shows combined a variety of very common ASMR triggers including soft talking, scratching, brushing, and watching someone create something. For some people, Bob Ross himself seems to be an ASMR trigger. While Bob Ross is no longer with us, many of the old episodes of his show can be found online. There are also some creators who are trying to create Bob Ross like videos, but for most people the original shows are more relaxing and more likely to be an ASMR trigger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlucWfTUo1A

The beautiful thing about the web is that if you are into something, you can find a community of likeminded people somewhere. ASMR is still not well understood, but every day thousands of people are discovering new triggers. Tell us in the comments below what your favorite ASMR sounds are. You might just help someone else make a new discovery.