Do the dead really talk? Ask any believer or paranormal investigator and the answer will usually be a resounding YES!
EVP - electronic voice phenomena - is a mysterious event in which human-sounding voices from an unknown source are heard on a recorded tape. These ghostly voices are not heard at the time of recording; it is only when the tape is played back, and usually amplification and noise filtering is required to hear these voices. Some EVP’s are more easily heard and understood than others; and they vary in gender, age, tone and emotion. They usually speak in single-words, phrases and short sentences.
For the best results in recording an EVP, there are a few things to keep in mind:
| State the date, time, location and weather conditions at the very beginning of recording. |
| Make note of any background noise around you. |
| Use an external microphone for best results, if possible. |
| If you are using a cassette recorder, ALWAYS use new tapes. |
| If possible, set your recorder to its highest sensitivity level. |
| Do not wear or carry noisy items and hold the recorder away from you. |
| Whenever possible, set the recorder down for your EVP session. |
| Talk to them as though you know that they are there with you. This is not the time to be filled with doubt. |
| Speak clearly and do not whisper. |
| Keep conversation between yourself and other members of your team to a minimum. When you talk, speak clearly and in a normal tone of voice. |
| Ask simple questions and allow at least 20 seconds for a response. |
| Ask the spirits to speak as clearly and as loudly as they can. |
| Be respectful to those you are attempting to communicate with and remember to thank them at the end of your session. |
EVP's are also rated/classed. Below is a chart explaining this.
| Class A EVP: This is where the voices captured are clear and understood by all who listen. Everyone listening to the recording should agree on what is being heard. This recording does not need amplification or enhancement using a sound editing program; it should be clearly heard straight from the recording device. Class A EVP’s do not need to be loud; only clear. These are the rarest to record. |
| Class B EVP: This is very low and most people will agree on what is being said/heard. These EVP’s might not be understood by everyone who listens or may be heard as something completely different by other people who listen to them. The voice must be fairly clear and easy to determine what most of the words are when analyzing. These are the most common class of EVP captured. |
| Class C EVP: These are the poorest quality EVP. It is very difficult to understand what is being said, even with software enhancement. The investigator knows it is an EVP, and human sounding voices can be heard in the background noise; however, nothing can be noted as a factual statement. |
Whether you believe in EVP or not, the thought of speaking to the dead is an intriguing prospect. It is something that people have tried to do by a number of different methods throughout time. It reassures us of our own immortality, making death seem a little less like “the end”.
©2008