Getting the BEST EVPs

By Dr Regina Wolf, co-founder of PRIOV

Our group gets a ton of EVP evidence when we investigate.
PRIOV (check out PRIOVohiovalley.com for more information about the group), is a small group of serious investigators. People write all the time and ask how do you get so many EVPs?

When we investigate at a location that is a paid venue, we only go to quality places that we know have generated good results in the past. You can't train , test equipment, or try new things, at a place that isn't haunted. We do however also get results on our cemetery walks and other investigations. You cannot MAKE EVPs happen, but you can make it easier to capture them.

First a warning....Do not try this at home! Seriously.

 The reason is, that if you do, you will live in a place that  rivals LAX and Grand Central Station for traffic. When spirits know a place is a source of communication, they flock there. It may sound cool until you try to sleep at night and someone wants to chat. It isn't healthy for you, or good for the spirits, so only use a recorder as an investigation tool in places that are venues designed for investigators , or in a location that your group is investigating. Remember also that investigating frequently stirs up activity, so you don't want to keep investigating a location that is anyone's home or business. When you investigate homes the idea is to then help the homeowner by providing experienced cleansers or holy people. When you leave with your equipment the connection is gone and activity will go back to normal, when you do this at home, it won't die down.

Now back to recording EVPs.

There are practical tips and technical tips. all will help you to pick up and understand the EVPs.

First , get the best recorder you can afford, the more expensive brand names do cost a bit more,but tihey are worth it. A Yugo and a Mercedes will both get you to point B , but the ride is very different. You need a digital recorder with MP3 capability. That will get you the best results. There are multi directional recorders still floating around out there, but you will notice that no one really uses them anymore, the new technology for the masses works just as well. Buy a Sony, Olympus, or other known brand name. Price will go up as capacity goes up, just like your laptop.

I need to insert a note here, do not rely on a smartphone. Smartphones are awesome, and I have one, BUT they are made for phone calls.....little tiny dots of a speaker that are actually engineered to keep OUT background noise ......when in a situation where you are trying to pick up EVPs, you don't want anything to REDUCE noise, you are trying to pick up what sometimes sounds like whispers. A phone is counterproductive.

Do NOT use a phone for serious investigating at all! (All those apps don't work either, the phone doesn't have the right sensors to make those apps work they are just a waste of your $$$$, and generally include some sort of spyware).

Now that you have your recorder (and probably spent between $60-80) you need one more thing, headphones or really good ear buds. Many times the recorder will pick up live EVPs and you can hear them as they happen. This is not always the case and we are not sure why.....but then there are still many "whys" in investigating the paranormal. Now one more little trick, take some Velcro and put it on the rear of the recorder (be careful not to block the battery compartment closed), and another strip on a strap or piece of clothing that will be part of your normal investigating gear (I carry everything with me in a molle bag, and the recorder is attached to it). The reason for this is that any movement is picked up by the sensitive mike. Evern your hands will make raspy noises that can obliterate EVPs. When you are hands off, and away from any interference, you will get clearer EVPs. This also frees up your hands to hold other equipment.

You still have work to do before setting out. You want to learn how that little machine functions, they are much more complicated these days and just pushing REC is only part of the process. It will most likely be dark, and you will need to be able to use the recorder without seeing it or reading the manual.

 It is a pain until you understand the recorder, but get out that little book that came with it and make sure the recorder is set up properly. There are settings on it for recording. You want your volume all the way up when you record, EVPs are frequently low volume. You also want to set your recorder on CONFERENCE. This allows the recorder to NOT do what your cell phone does, and that is filter out voices away from the mike. You WANT to hear those voices, and "Conference" assumes you are in a large room, and the recorder "listens hard". You also want to make sure that your noise reduction setting is turned OFF. Again, we want to bring in as much as possible, not filter it out, to do that turn OFF the VCVA tab and turn UP your Mike Sensor. Make sure that the volume is up, and the batteries are fresh.

That is all the techie side to getting going, now the practical side of things.

First when you turn it on say where you are, the date, and who is present. Include the room where you are, for instance: May 1, Waverly Hills, KY, Myself, Bob Jane and May, first floor, morgue.
OK, time to see what you can get! The best practice I have found is to first say "Hello", introduce yourself, and ask if anyone wants to talk. When I watch some paranormal shows and all session they ask about a "known" spirit, I laugh. I just picture them asking "Bob" several questions, while Bob isn't there but 5 other spirits are standing around hoping someone asks them a question! It is OK to ask a specific question of a specific event , but don't limit yourself. 

Take your time, give them time to answer. Time on the other side is different basically because time is a "man made" concept. I have also found MOST EVPS are captured when NOT when asking direct questions, but when walking around the location and even chatting with other investigators. Residual conversations do not answer your questions, they just are going on in the background, so asking questions won't bring in those EVPs.  You don't want too much chatter and noise however, as you won't hear the EVPs, but leave your recorder on when you are setting up and touring the location, you will be surprised at what you get. Remember TV is edited for time and you get little pieces of everything that is being done.

When there are noises being made, such as a person walking , or someone clears their throat, mark it on the recorder as "George clearing his throat" or "May walking". Later you will be able to distinguish footsteps on a floor from a whisper and creaky doors from a groan.  When you hear noises during an investigation immediatey go and check them out (that is a discussion for another day), and mark them also.

NEVER whisper while doing an investigation, and never talk in funny voices without marking it. If you slip say "that was me whispering" or "George talking like the wicked witch". You also frequently get burps, stomach growls, sneezes and yes, flatulence. Mark them all!

You can listen while at the location to see if you picked up anything, or wait until you go home.  It is easier to listen at home in a quiet room, but you may be trying to get a direct response which is fine, just make sure you are not mixing up your recordings. Most recorders won't allow you to record over another one, they move to another folder, but make sure you know how your works.

When you are home listening, have a pen and paper. Write down the time and what you heard, this way you can get back to it without going through the whole session. Some recorders will come with a cord to patch into your computer. Save the EVPs on your computer so you can eventually erase the ones on the recorder. Otherwise someday the files will be filled and you will need another recorder! We use Adobe Audition to evaluate and label the EVPs, we then post them to our page and youtube.

Make SURE that it is an EVP BEFORE posting. We try to post only Class A EVP, sometimes others are so interesting that we post them, but generally EVPs are difficult to hear. Listen carefully when you go over your evidence! Remember to use the Grant Wilson rule....when in doubt , toss it out. Don't open yourself to even more ridicule by skeptics.

I will tell you that from experience we know that when having a psychic, medium or empath in the group makes for more EVPs, the spirits recognize talents and come to talk. Their light shines brighter and they are like having an "open for business" sign out.

Just remember the one very important rule....DO NOT DO THIS AT HOME. It really will make your life a living nightmare.

ENJOY!


(C) 2015 Dr R M Wolf, May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission.