Paranormal Investigation 101: Collecting Audio

If you ask a paranormal investigator what they consider the best paranormal "evidence", they will probably say EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) or anomalous audio. EVP is the capturing of voices and/or sounds using a recording device, that were not audible when the recording was made. There is also Audible Voice Phenomenon (AVP) and Direct Voice Phenomenon (DVP) which is the capturing of disembodied voices and/ or sounds using a recording device, that were audible when the recording was made. If you are interested in the history of EVP you can read more here. I personally can attest that there is nothing more fascinating than hearing a disembodied voice and capturing it on audio. During an initial tour at Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum both myself and another investigator audibly heard a young girl say "Don't Go" when the entire tour group was silent. We were able to capture it on our recorders as well. Through the years I have captured my fair share of EVP and AVP, the excitement of finding these in hours of audio never really gets old. But what during the collection process can assure that you know what you have captured is not just auditory pareidolia? There are a lot of protocols that can be used to make sure that your audio is clean and has less likelihood of being contaminated.

CHOOSE A QUALITY RECORDER

When you are just starting out as an investigator, it may seem like a good idea to skimp on the recorder budget but I am here to tell you that you shouldn't. Quality is everything. I have used many recorders through the years and one of my most trusty recorders is just a small Sony that I paid $50 for in 2011. When it was new it was fantastic but I put it up against a Tascam DR-40 recently and the Sony cannot compare. If you plan to do any type of ghost hunting or paranormal investigation spring for the high-quality recorder that will allow for a more sensitive recording in order to get a clearer sound. It does make a huge difference in auditory pareidolia. Sometimes when you record sounds that can be explained, they may sound as if they do not belong. Look into the Tascam and Zoom recorders for quality audio collection. (This is the most non-technical explanation I can give. I am attempting to keep this blog in layman's terms.) Note: Make sure that your recorder is PC compatible. Whether it can be linked with a cable or has a slot for a SD card, make sure that you can store the files on a hard drive. In turn you should always listen to your audio using audio software. Listening to the audio directly from your recorder will not allow for a clear playback and you will not be able to create copied clips of the anomalous audio. (I will share more of audio review on a future blog.)

WHEN YOU START YOUR RECORDER, TAG IT

While the ultimate objective is to capture really great EVP on your recorder, remember that your recorder is a great way to take notes easily. On our investigations we tag every recording device with the date, time, location, and area. The date is for posterity, sometimes the recorder or other devices don't give accurate date information. The time is to correlate every device so that if something occurs somewhere else they all have the same time being used (lets face it not all clocks are created equal). The location is just in case you have multiple buildings or locations in one night/ day. The area is where the recorder is located, like the kitchen or a living room. Each of these are an important component for later review. When you start your session audio, it is no different. Tag the date, time, location, area you are in, the investigators you are with, and any other sound that is ambient that you may want to identify when you review your audio. (I like to have each person say their name so that I can recognize their voice and the distance they are away from the recorder!) When we train our investigators we ask them to tag any movement or sounds they may make like "Becky moving in her chair" so that we know who it was and we can easily identify those types of sounds. You'd be surprised at how often we unconsciously do something and forget to tag, it can easily be misconstrued as something paranormal if we didn't acknowledge it. Audio is also a great way to document if you move, sounds that you and your team make, sounds that are identifiable in the location or outside, if you experience something visually or audibly or more. Use this tool as much as you can, ideally you can also use a handheld camera however we are talking about audio right now! 

FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PLACE YOUR RECORDER

I don't know how many times I see investigators carrying their recorders around and think their movement is something anomalous. Find a safe place off the floor and away from anything that has ambient noise to place your recorder. If there is vibration from the floor or even vibration from the material or where it is placed (like a fridge or something metal), it may contaminate your entire audio. Make sure it is away from windows and appliances. Face the microphones toward an open area so the audio does not become muffled. 

USE A CLEAR, EVEN TONE

I have noticed that when the living are in the moment, we frequently say things in a manner that is not like our normal speaking voice. When you are talking, make sure that you are using a clear, even tone whenever your recorder is running. It will make it much easier to identify everyone if they are using their normal tone, speaking clearly, and NOT WHISPERING. I am sure I would be raked over the coals if I didn't mention keeping your voice loud enough to be heard clearly. No whispering, no mumbling, don't make strange sounds, and definitely don't speak higher or lower than your normal voice. All of this will make identifying voices and sounds much easier.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF

When you start your session introduce yourself and your fellow investigators. This kind of falls in line with having each person say their name, so it works in your favor to just have them tag themselves in this introduction. You may find the spirits will say your name at some point, so giving them the tip is pretty important. As a Lead Investigator and Case Manager, I find a lot of EVP saying my name. Is it because my team has called out my name a lot during set up and they are interested? Who knows but I think them knowing who we are makes them a little more comfortable and willing to communicate.

ASK TARGETED QUESTIONS

Not everyone wants to use information that they know to ask questions during an EVP session, but I am here to tell you that these are one of the top ways to get responses. I don't mean that you lead the spirit or entity to saying what you want them to say, I mean that by asking questions in a certain way will lead to only one answer or to an answer that is known. What color is grass? What color is the sky? What town are we in? Asking their name or whether they are male or female we have found is not something that they may identify as any longer. (This is a surprising observation, I know.) Sometimes they have no awareness of any of the answers at all....

JUST CHAT

One of the most provoking things to spirits is not being included in conversation. It is funny at how often spirits will interject something when the investigators are just going about their business. On the Antietam Paranormal Society You Tube channel you can find an EVP of a spirit saying "Mommy". The APS girls had just met in the middle of the Engine One building after doing baseline readings and we captured this audio on a stationary recorder. We have had other instances of doing walk throughs and capturing moans (the happy moans, if you know what I mean), spirits saying "Don't Go", them interjecting disapproving no's or "Get Out". The best, absolute BEST way to get spirit communication is to have a good dynamic with your fellow investigators. But be careful, being too chatty or laughing too much can impede the ability to isolate their responses. 

I am sure I am missing a lot of other details of audio collection but these are my most valuable tips. I personally think that spatial awareness, attention to detail, and critical thinking during the audio collection process is what makes for good audio. 

Rebecca Boyer

Co-Founder/ Case Manager

Antietam Paranormal Society