EVP_page

EVPs - What are They

If you have found yourself on this page, you probably already know what E.V.P. stands for, but for those of you who
don't, it stands for Electronic Voice Phenomenon. EVP is the term traditionally used to describe unexpected sounds
or voices found on recording media such as a tape player or digital voice recorder. Many people mistakenly think
that all EVP are voices. This concept is incorrect. EVP does not necessarily have to be a voice, it can be a sound
(such as a cannon fire) but voices are captured more often than sounds. There are three different classes of EVP.
They are as follows:

Class A Voices or sounds that you can understand, and can be heard by almost all people over a speaker or
headphones.

Class B Can be heard on the recording with the speaker/headphones, but there is varied opinions as to what the
EVP says or what the sound is. For example, one might hear "Something's wrong at Mary's house" while another
might here, "Something's wrong in this house"

Class C Voices or sounds that can only be heard with headphones, and are very difficult to hear. An example would
be a quick "whisper" that is not very hard to hear or a sound that you know was not there when recorded. These are
the most controversial, and very hard to prove.

EVPs - The Proper Way To Record
Techniques vary based on the source, but, I have found that using a digital voice recorder with no white noise or
other sound present works the best for me. Some people prefer using some sort of "white noise" such as a fan,
water fountain or artificial white noise generator in the background to record their EVPs. My suggestions for
recording EVPs are as follows:

1. Get a good quality cassette or digital recorder. If you are just starting out, you can pick up a recorder at almost
any Walmart or Target for very little money. Try to get one that has a USB port for easy download into your computer.
It's a good idea to practice at home as many people are bashful or feel strange asking questions into thin air in the
beginning.

2. Start out recording in a space where you have no external distractions that could be mistaken for an EVP. If you
do hear a sound that COULD be caught on the recorder (such as a plane overhead, or a car passing by) say that to
the recorder. They are very sensitive and can pick up even the faintest of sounds.

3. Ask clear questions, and identify yourself at the beginning of the session. For instance: This is Terri in the
basement at the Elks Lodge. It is now 5:05 PM. Then proceed with your questions. Questions will depend on the
amount of knowledge you have about a specific place. If you have been told a name, you may want to ask something
like "Is Mary Jones here with us today?" If you are just trying to get anyone who may be there, you could say
something like "Hi, my name is Terri, is there anyone who would like to speak with me today?" Give them enough
time to answer. Try to space your questions at least 30 seconds apart.

4. Have the ability to import your recordings into a computer for analysis. If you do not have a USB port, you can
import them into your computer using a double male adapter. Always keep the original clip intact and make copies of
any changes that you make. I always save the clip after each enhancement notating what change was made. An
example would be "Elks Lodge-Noise Removed"

5. Listen to, playback, and analyze your recording. The program that I prefer is Audacity. It is available for download
online. It is a free program and has many features that more expensive programs offer. You do NOT have to use
Audacity though, there are many other programs available so pick one that you feel comfortable with. Just be sure
you understand how the program works.

6. Log and document your findings. I do this by listening to the whole clip once over, marking spots that I feel require
further review. By "marking" I mean writing down the time stamp according to the program you are using. After you
have marked the areas of interest, you can then begin the task of trying to figure out exactly what the EVP may be
saying.

I hope this gives you a little information on how to record and extract EVPs. Good luck and let us know if you get any.
we are ALWAYS up for a good EVP.