EVP recorders are devices that are used to record electronic voice protocols / EVP recordings and are a tool frequently used by paranormal investigators and ghost hunters to check for otherworldly presences and phenomena. The idea of recording paranormal sounds and voices stretches far back into the 1800’s during the spiritualist movement and in fact Thomas Edison was the first to put forth the idea that the best way to communicate with spirits would be via a recording device that was sensitive.
How do EVP Recordings Work?
EVP recorders can be used one of two ways – in the first you will ask questions of the spirit and give them the chance to speak. The questions should be yes or no questions such as ‘did you live here?’, ‘are you afraid?’, or ‘do you like being here?’. It can be difficult for a spirit to communicate longer answers so sticking to easy questions with easy answers is always best. The second way to use an EVP recorder is to simply set it to record and leave it alone. Let it pick up the noises around you and then you can go back later and listen to the sounds that it recorded. While people on television shows can usually be seen wandering around with an EVP recorder, this isn’t recommended. Because there is always an element of hearing what you want to hear to listening to EVP recordings, you want to avoid picking up any noise that could be nothing more than your hand brushing your jacket or your feet on carpet.
What are the different EVP Recorder classes?
There are four classes or quality levels of EVP recordings that an EVP recorder can pick up. The first is Class A. These are clear enough and loud enough to be heard without the aid of headphones and can be a word or phrase. Everyone should agree on what is being said for it to be a Class A recording. A Class B recording is audible without headphones, but some people many not agree on or be able to understand what is said. Class C recordings are words and phrases that cannot be heard without the aid of headphones and while you can hear that it is there you probably won’t be able to understand or identify it. Class R recordings are unintelligible unless played in reverse.
What type of EVP Recorder should I buy?
If you decide you want to take EVP recordings, you will want to investigate which recorder is best for you. There are three types of EVP recorders: the wrist recorder, the spirit or ghost box, or a standard, hand-held note taking device that you can plug headphones or a speaker into. Each of these have different benefits and faults and you’ll may want to have one of each on hand because of the different needs each will meet. The most dramatic is the spirit or ghost box. It is a device that was developed to spread white noise across radio frequencies in the hope that the white noise provides enough energy across the frequencies that paranormal entities are able to manipulate it and make noise.
Remember, if you set yourself to the task of collecting EVP recordings, you want to begin each session with some standard information: your name, where you are, the day and time, the atmospheric conditions, how many people are present, the temperature and the lighting.
