EVP Methods, Techniques and FAQs

EVP Methods, Techniques and FAQs

Is it best to provoke an entity in an angry manner to get a reaction?
We've seen this with other paranormal investigators and it may be helpful to them; however, we do not feel this
way. Just as there are different types of hauntings, there are also different types of EVP, and if this happens to be
an intellectual entity and not residual, these "ghosts" or "spirits" were once human beings and respect should
always be considered.
We've received very clear EVP without angry provocation.

When is the best time to record?
Anytime. We've found there to be no correlation between a certain hour of day or night and quantity or quality of
EVP.

Where is the best place to record?
We've received EVP literally everywhere; although, it does seem that the best places to capture the clearest EVP
seem to be where life altering events have taken place. All the same, we have also recorded in very serene, more
contemporary homes, not so rich in history, and received many clear, quality clips, then ventured on to other
historic places, supposedly, "active", and captured only one or two very low (quiet) clips. You just never know.

Are there different types of EVP?
What we've discovered is that in some of our captures, the theory that applies to intelligent/interactive and
residual hauntings seems to apply to EVP as well. Regarding intelligent/interactive responses, the investigator or
EVP experimenter will ask a question. The question is then answered, with relevancy to the question posed. There
have been times on investigations, that we have captured voices commenting on our actions, such as walking
down stairs, entering a room, etc. This is what we would consider an intelligent/interactive EVP.
As for residual responses, we just can't say for certain yet. The residual type is still a mystery. What we can say is,
that for us, the majority of voices captured through EVP, seem to be oblivious of our presence. We cannot
specifically classify them as "residual", although some seem to present those features: the entities will 'speak' at
any given time. The comments can include very strange utterances or a perfectly clear and distinct statement;
however, the remarks in no way relate to a question that has been asked or any actions of investigators, as in an
intellectual/interactive response. We do believe though, that the history of a building can play an important role
in residual responses.

My friend and I are hearing the same EVP recording differently. Why?
Very simply, we all hear at different frequencies. Even our own team members label their captures according to
what it is that they are hearing, and many times we have discrepancies amongst each other. This is why you may
not agree with what it is that we have posted on our site - you may be hearing something else. We look forward
to any comments you may have regarding our captures.

What type of equipment do I need to record?
A digital or analog (tape) recorder is usually used for recording for EVP, although EVP has presented itself on
other recording devices such as telephone answering machines, video recorders and computers. We use an array
of different digital and analog recorders. It's just a matter of personal preference. There are numerous brands out
there to choose from. When purchasing an analog (tape) recorder, an external microphone is necessary to
eliminate the internal motor noise of this type of recording device, so be sure to invest in that as well.

How do I obtain recordings like those I've heard on television and on the internet?
After a recording session is conducted, you will need to upload the files onto your computer for analysis.
Although it is possible to hear the voice captures while listening straight back from your recorder, analyzing from
your computer via an audio computer program is the clearest way to hear any voice captures.

The software programs that can be used are numerous: from very little or no cost to extremely expensive. We
have worked with many different programs and find that it comes down to personal preference. We've listed
some software links that you may find helpful by clicking here.

What mode should I set my recorder at?
Personally, we set our digital recorder modes at different settings - this is because when we analyze and have a
question about a certain sound or utterance, we can always double check a recorder that has been set at HQ
(High Quality), as that will be the digital recorder that has filtered out most of the background noise. However,
recorders set at HQ (High Quality) also filter out much of the background recording "hiss" that the LP mode
recorders do not. Some researchers feel that this "hiss" is effective for actually capturing EVP, as this is actually
how the entities are able to manipulate their voices; not unlike how they would use white noise. How this
happens exactly, is not yet known. So, setting your recorder on LP or (Long Play) is the mode that has a slight
background "hiss" and we do feel it does help, but, a true EVP capture is what we're after, therefore it is a good
idea to have a recorder set on HQ mode alongside a recorder set on LP mode. Additionally, we use an analog
recorder equipped with an external microphone. We use this simultaneously with the digital recorders, in case
any questions arise during the analysis phase of the EVP process.

What is the history of EVP?
You can check out a brief history of EVP page by clicking here.

Are there any methods or techniques I should remember?
All researchers have their own personal techniques. We can only speak for ourselves, however, there is usually a
commonality that many EVP experimenters practice. Some of them include:

1. Stay quiet while recording. Although entities may speak by happenstance when we are on investigations and
equipment is running, we feel that it is imperative to be completely quiet while recording sessions are being
conducted. This means all background noise sources, whether it be a cough, squeaky floor, stomach growling or
car passing by, etc., must be noted on the recorder as soon as it has taken place. If it is not noted verbally by the
experimenter, you may think you have captured an EVP when listening back to your recording, resulting in a
false positive capture.

The analysis phase of EVP is enjoyable, yet lengthy, tedious work. Make it worth your while and be sure that your
captures are genuine in nature.

2. Only one person should ask one question at a time; leaving approximately 20 to 30 second intervals between each
question for a possible answer. Again, any background noise sources must be noted.

3. Don't whisper. It is vital that you try not to whisper. Many times, entities come through in a whispered voice
form and obviously, if on investigation, someone in the group whispers, it is going to be difficult to decipher this
from something paranormal on a recorder. If this happens, and there is doubt, that clip will need to be thrown
out, even if it is a genuine EVP. If by chance someone does happen to whisper, note it verbally on all recorders
running at the time.

4. Is it okay to use one recorder at a time when recording? It is definitely a personal preference, but we feel it is crucial
to use at least three recorders at once, running simultaneously, to eliminate the possibility of false positives: 2
digital recorders - one set on HQ (High Quality), one set on LP (Long Play) and an analog recorder equipped with
an external microphone.

5. Save your original files in their "raw" or unedited form. It is very important to keep the unedited version of your
recording. Upon playback of your recordings and upon discovering an unusual noise or utterance, make sure to
isolate this spot on your recording and save the file into a folder, in its unedited version. That way, you can
always work with the "raw" file in an audio program (if you feel it's necessary), yet have the original, "raw" version.

6. Be careful not to over-edit Computer editing programs can be helpful for EVP analysis, but, it is easy to get
carried away if you're not careful. Again, always save the original, unedited file so that you can work with it, if
need be. If you are going to edit or do what some technicians refer to as, "clean" a file, do so cautiously. A slight
amplification is a good choice to start out, and could be all that is needed. This can be done without distorting
the clip. A good, clear EVP shouldn't need a lot of work, but for your own personal files sometimes a light hiss
reduction can be helpful too. Be careful, as this can alter your clip and make a "tin", robotic sound, as well as
distort the voice and words. A link to some computer editing programs can be found by clicking here.

7. Listen to your files while uploading, not just during playback Our technicians perform this method regularly, and
find it to be very beneficial because it helps to eliminate false positives. If the researcher notices anything unusual
during uploading, the recorder and sound file can be immediately stopped and a comparison made on the
recorder/s and with corresponding researchers who were present at the time.

Can EVP hurt me?
We are asked this question often regarding this phenomena, so we felt it pertinent to touch on this subject here.
Renowned EVP researcher, and founder of the AA-EVP Sarah Estep, has mentioned that anyone suffering from a
mental illness, of any kind, should not be involved with EVP work. It has also been said that this type of research
can be addicting and we feel that this can hold true for any type of work: keep it in moderation. Remember, the
living need you too.

As far as being harmed on a spiritual level, many people believe in some form of, 'protection', and we have
found this to be helpful; not all researchers do and that's okay, we are not here to judge. When I say "protection", I
mean by saying a prayer before recording. As a group, we've been in some relatively frightening situations and
feel that a positive attitude has always been effective.
On that note, personally, we believe that being in the right frame of mind is beneficial and that, "like attracts like";
if you're negative you'll attract negative. Again, prayer does seem to help some people - before and after
investigations and recording sessions. Basically, having a strong spiritual foundation (no matter which one, as
long as it's of a positive nature), seems to keep you grounded in this area of study.

*If at any time you feel anxious about recording or are in a bad frame of mind - don't record; leave it for another
time. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us.