I am going to describe techniques for EVP experimentation, which I find have worked successfully for me. During the past six months, by researching EVP mainly on weekends and some evenings, I have managed to record hundreds of EVPs from a variety of locations many of which are not even reputed to be haunted. A site does not require a haunted reputation in order for you to acquire EVPs from it. I refer to EVPs as “utterances” due to their chopped, fast and usually very brief nature. EVP experimentation should not be approached lightly. Those who view EVP as a form of weekend entertainment will probably end up wasting their time. A friend told me they knew someone who had lost all interest in EVPs when they discovered they were unable to call up a minor demon. Those who are emotionally unstable ought not to experiment. Also, if your heart is not into it, save your research for another time rather than going through the motions mechanically asking questions without expressing or investing any emotional interest.

Keep recordings down to from 3 to 5 minutes. It can take up to five hrs. To find, filter and file EVPs from a productive five minute session. I have detected as many as ten EVPs or as few as one in an average session. I have almost never come up empty which is another reason for my belief that these entities are everywhere all the time. The location of your session will be up to you. I have come to understand the following. Just because a place is said to be haunted does not mean you will be likely to be able to pick EVPs there. Conversely, simply because a place is NOT said to be haunted does not mean you won’t find EVPs there. I have recorded from such reputedly haunted places as the battlefields of Gettysburg, or from my own backyard, a grocery store, a haunted cemetery, my own bedroom etc. And I have recorded EVPs in all of them, reputedly haunted or not.

Keep a log of each session by time, date and location. I log my Eva’s by timeline which I will further explain. Try to limit the number of questions. I max at ten. Try keeping to more generalized questions at first leading up to what may be more significant for the location. Avoid asking those requiring a yes or no answer. It’s just too easy to mistake those words for something else. I have obtained my worst alone and in a negative state of mind, or just going through the motions, with little true emotion invested. I think Kurt mentioned this. Try not to take who you may be speaking to for granted. For example, I recently translated an EVP in which someone asked “What is your name?” and received the following reply. “And who are you?” So, if it is more likely than not that we are dealing with our own deceased, we probably should act emotionally interested. Even if you think you are talking to an alien, it would probably be a good idea to exercise politeness. Allow enough time for each answer usually anywhere from five to ten seconds. I was told it is wise to avoid using words such as death, dead or dying as an entity may not be aware it is dead. I am not sure of this advice but haven’t had a reason to use those words so far, anyway.

Turn on your recorder; identify your location and why you are there. Wait about ten seconds and say that you are about to record voices and would like the entities around you to feel free to speak as well. Begin asking questions. You may either ask questions while walking with your recorder or remaining still. I have found more EVPs are produced when I record outside walking on leaves. Entities probably use the sound (leaf crunching) as a natural carrier for their voices in addition, of course, to the internal noise produced the recorder. If you experiment with this remember that any EVPs that are produced will require more filtering. Perhaps it is because energy is reverberating from the earth. I’m not sure why it works; only that it does. So maybe it will work for you, too, although I suggest the stationary method probably is better for first timers. Experiment with different noises in the background when recording such as running water, etc. Just remember to keep this noise very low. I end my sessions by thanking the entities. Mention that you will be turning off the recorder. You may add any personal closing you may be comfortable with. I usually close with “Blessed Be” and turn off the recorder ten seconds after.

Although EVP has been recorded using all types of equipment, I prefer the integrated circuit IC (digital) recorder. I have found success using Olympus Digital Voice Recorder VN-960PC. It’s simple to use, has 16 hours available for recording, and easily links to your PC with a USB port and included software. Record in HQ (high quality) mode only. I suggest using digital over analog because ICs have enough internal noise so as not to require white noise to capture voices with. I have even tried using white noise in conjunction with my digital recorder and failed every time to collect EVP. Actually there is ample noise within the digital interface between where an analog signal begins and its final conversion to digital. The theory being that, entities make use this internal processing noise as a carrier for their “voices”. As for a microphone, your digital recorder will have an internal microphone which will be sufficient (if using a cassette recorder an external microphone). Files are then downloaded to your computer for advanced software exploration. You will need a patch cord to transfer the audio from your recorder to your computer. You should already have a sound card on your computer or you can purchase it as a PCI card to be installed on your computer’s motherboard. Get a good set of headphones. I prefer over the ear headphones and use Plantronics. I do not like the ear bud type that fits into the ear canal. The human ear is a delicate area. Ear buds caused me to develop a short lived, but nasty, case of Tinnitus. If you think you just must use them, be sure to take listening breaks and try keeping the volume down to the minimum required for you to hear EVPs. Anyway, the practice of listening for EVPs over time is a safer and surer method for developing an ear for the subtleties required for EVP work. Experimenters have selectively trained their ears to listen to the particular cadences which are the hallmark for determining EVP. It takes some time to develop the ability to detect EVPs from voices of other people. Beginners certainly should not be recording when other people are talking. Either politely ask for a few minutes silence or go to a location that is quiet. I no longer require headphones, unless my office area becomes noisy. In addition to sensible ear gear, I suggest investing in a good set of speakers for your computer if you do not already have them. I use Logitech but would prefer Bose and am working towards the upgrade.

I use Adobe Audition to screen my files. Although this is an expensive software package, nothing compares on the market so far for this type of work. Perhaps a biased opinion. Do not alter your original files. Copy original files and work with the copies. You will want to create a log of your work. First Identity the location and name of your recording file. Olympus recorders come with downloading software called “Digital Wave Player”. This software will title each file with its own identifying letters and numbers as it is downloaded to your computer. When a possible EVP is located, note the time by the hours minutes and seconds. Audition provides this information on its audio timeline located at the bottom of its display. The audio timeline is the exact time an EVP begins to the time it ends. Filter your files prior to amplification. If you amplify before you filter, the noise will be amplified as well. When doing a noise reduction, be sure the noise area you have captured does not have part of the EVP in it. If it does, this part of the utterance will be reduced as well. Keep in mind that some noise may be good noise. Remember that a certain percentage of the noise is used as a carrier by the spirit or entity for making their message audible to the human ear. So, if you filter your file too much all that may be left is much distorted audio without any discernable EVP. This will sound like an awful, off key synthesized music attempt. We’ve all heard those awful EVPs from various sites. It makes no sense to share a file that most others are probably unable to hear.

After editing an EVP to your satisfaction, you will make a copy of it. This edited EVP file is then renamed. I rename the file putting the location in front of the files given identifier then adding the utterance itself at the end. The location name is the location of the investigation. Add the timeline here as well as in your written log. It is then filed under the mother file which should be dated. Also, it will be important that our group have one naming convention for all EVP files.