AUDIO PROTOCOLS FOR RECORDING EVPs
Over the years, we've learned and adopted some new procedures to ensure that our audio recordings are clean and uncontaminated. We go the extra mile to be sure that what is shown to our clients as evidence is indeed evidence, and nothing that can be naturally explained.
What we do: When we conduct our EVP sessions, we now use a standard series of protocols. For starters, we use a control video camera which stays focused on every investigator in the room. When the EVP session starts, each investigator turns on his or her voice recorder at the same time while in view of the camera. Next, each investigator states his or her name, to give us a reference of each persons tone of voice. We always use at least two voice recorders so that anything suspect recorded on one can be compared to the others. During our sessions, we always record for thirty minutes. One male investigator asks the spirits questions for ten minutes, then a female investigator asks the questions for ten more. For the last ten minutes of the session everyone sits quietly with no movement or walking around. At least one investigator, usually Laura, keeps a notebook and pen on hand and writes down any natural audible noises and the time each noise is heard. This has helped us more than once to debunk a suspected EVP.
Upon reviewing our audio, if one investigator hears something that may be an EVP, this clip is sent out to everyone who attended the investigation to compare with their own corresponding recordings. Usually, one or more members are able to debunk the clip as a natural sound that was recorded a little more clearly on a different recorder. If not, it is then compared to the corresponding control video footage, to see if the sound in question could have been one of us making an unintentional sound. The time frame is compared to the list of noises heard at the time in our notebook. Only when the clip in question cannot be explained by additional voice recorders, our notebook, or the control video is it submitted to our client as paranormal evidence.
Since we've started using this procedure, we've found that the amount of genuine, unexplained EVPs recorded by our team has dropped to practically zero. This shows us that true EVPs are much more rare than what is currently believed by most investigators. We feel that a full 90% of the "EVPs" recorded by most paranormal groups and displayed on the internet are simply unnoticed environmental noises that could be naturally explained had they taken the time to use the procedures we are using now. It's amazing how a natural sound like the bark of a dog, the rustle of fabric, a passing car, a distant train whistle, or even a bird can take on the sound of speech upon playback on our voice recorders.
When we do happen to record an EVP that passes all the test, we have, thanks to Vince, started using a new method of showing these to our clients. We now take the corresponding control video clip, and overlay the EVP recorded by the digital voice recorder over top of the video. The entire thing is then burned to a DVD. With this method, our clients can actually see what everyone in the room was doing at the exact time the EVP was recorded. This leaves little room for doubt when presenting evidence.
We have recently began using a sign which reads "Please sit here and speak with us" during our EVP sessions. We've starting placing this near one or all of our voice recorders, and hope that it may help us to communicate and interact with what we are trying to contact. If we can't always hear them, it is reasonable to think that perhaps they can't always hear us either. A printed sign may help us get the message across a little better.
We recently added this Sony PCM-M10 voice recorder to our equipment list. This device is a top of the line audio recorder which we hope to use to take our audio recordings to the next level in 2010.
* NEW EXPERIMENT *
I recently modified one of my old microphones. I took into consideration the theory that EVPs are picked up by the magnet located in all mics, and wondered what would happen if one were to boost the factory magnet. I dismantled the old mic, and stripped it down to its stock magnet. I fashioned a cone shaped "megaphone" out of magnetic sheeting and secured it around the stock magnet. I next made the new housing for the device and lined all six of the interior walls with additional panels of the magnetic sheeting. This created a 360' magnetic field, which I'm HOPING will aid in pulling in these EVP's. Once built, I headed towards the phones and called the team to inform them of this new device. Test runs at home prove that it records loud and clear, and we look forward to trying this device at an active location to see how it works.
UPDATE: Although we have used this new mic on numerous investigations since mid Summer, it has yet to produce any results. But to be fair, we only captured one EVP all year long so more testing must be done before we reach a conclusion.
