Electronic Voice Phenomenon - EVP - is the recording of an apparent 'ghostly' voice or sound, caught on sound recording technology.
These are thought to be voices from the other side, that recorders are sensitive enough to pick up, but the human ear cannot otherwise hear.
These are thought to be voices from the other side, that recorders are sensitive enough to pick up, but the human ear cannot otherwise hear.
EVP Defined
Waveform of a possible EVP. Electronic Voice Phenomenon, EVP (as it will be referred to from now) is the label given to voices and sounds caught on electronic recording mediums. These voices are said to be communication from ghosts, spirits and other entities, who do not have an earthly origin.
Personally, I only label something an EVP if it was not heard by a living person, and only captured on the recording medium, or heard through a speaker or headphones. Some others will still class something as an EVP if it was heard at the time, by their ears, but in those instances, I refer to them as disembodied voices. an EVP is only captured on a recorder or heard through a speaker or headphones..
A typical EVP session will involve a person setting up somewhere, turning on an audio recorder, and asking a series of questions, a lengthy pause between each, and hoping to find ghostly answers upon playback.
Personally, I only label something an EVP if it was not heard by a living person, and only captured on the recording medium, or heard through a speaker or headphones. Some others will still class something as an EVP if it was heard at the time, by their ears, but in those instances, I refer to them as disembodied voices. an EVP is only captured on a recorder or heard through a speaker or headphones..
A typical EVP session will involve a person setting up somewhere, turning on an audio recorder, and asking a series of questions, a lengthy pause between each, and hoping to find ghostly answers upon playback.
A History of EVP
Early record cutter with microphone. The history of EVP is quite long, about as long as electronic (also magnetic and mechanical) recording devices have existed. People had spoken about hearing sounds that were not the focus of a recording, and back in the early 1900's, with the spiritual movement in full swing, it was thought to be perhaps another form of proof of spirit.
However, experiments that focussed solely on capturing these ghostly voices on recording medium, did not really start until the 1940's when American photographer, Attila Von Szalay, started experimenting with recording medium to capture the disembodied voices he heard around him.
At first he tried recording the voices to records, using a record cutter. The work was hard, and no doubt many records were cut and wasted as the voices were not too prevalent, however soon Szalay came up with something that seemed to work.
However, experiments that focussed solely on capturing these ghostly voices on recording medium, did not really start until the 1940's when American photographer, Attila Von Szalay, started experimenting with recording medium to capture the disembodied voices he heard around him.
At first he tried recording the voices to records, using a record cutter. The work was hard, and no doubt many records were cut and wasted as the voices were not too prevalent, however soon Szalay came up with something that seemed to work.
Reel to Reel tape recorder. Szalay created a sound proof cabinet which held a microphone. The leads ran out of the cabinet and to the record cutter and a loud speaker, so they could hear what was being recorded. He had some success both with people in the box asking questions, and when the box was empty. If someone was in the box they themselves could not hear the voices responding, it was only on the recordings, or through the speaker, that they could be detected.
It was in the mid fifties when Szalay moved to a tape recorder that he achieved greater successes.
The voices were not limited to single words, but at times whole sentences and phrases. In Italy, Marcello Bacci was also having some success recording voices, and even invited people to his home to talk to the dead.
It was in the mid fifties when Szalay moved to a tape recorder that he achieved greater successes.
The voices were not limited to single words, but at times whole sentences and phrases. In Italy, Marcello Bacci was also having some success recording voices, and even invited people to his home to talk to the dead.
Tape recorder. It was during this time that a man named Jurgenson also started to pick up anomalous voices as he recorded bird songs. He, along with psychologist Kanstantin Raudive, began to make many recordings which, due to several technologies in place to prevent outside sources of interference, they believe to be the real thing. A book titled "Breakthrough" was written, and soon the idea of talking with the dead through technology became more popular with those with an inclination for such things.
In 1980, the Spiricom, a two way communication device with the dead was invented by William O'neil. What was interesting was that O'neil stated he received instructions and specifications to build the device from the ghost of a dead scientist. Through the device, O'neil believed he was able to talk to the dead, however, even though he freely distributed the plans, not too many people were able to replicate the results.
In 1980, the Spiricom, a two way communication device with the dead was invented by William O'neil. What was interesting was that O'neil stated he received instructions and specifications to build the device from the ghost of a dead scientist. Through the device, O'neil believed he was able to talk to the dead, however, even though he freely distributed the plans, not too many people were able to replicate the results.
Criticisms
Dictaphone. The Franks Box, quite similar to a 'Ghost Box', was a more recent invention. In 2002, Frank Sumption combined a white noise generator and an AM receiver that continually swept stations. Through the noise, snippets of voices were detectable, however many critics state... well, you are using radio so that’s probably what is being picked up. However, at times, intelligent responses to questions have been picked up, and many state there are so many that it goes beyond coincidence.
We have sort of gone off track here, but that is a bit of a history of EVP. Recently, the implementation of newer sound recording technologies has seen a explosion in the number of devices and ways to record these possible ghostly voices. Tape recorders became cheap and more portable, cd and minidiscs offered greater clarity in sound, and todays digital recording mediums are small enough to take anywhere... heck, even your phone most likely has one.
We have sort of gone off track here, but that is a bit of a history of EVP. Recently, the implementation of newer sound recording technologies has seen a explosion in the number of devices and ways to record these possible ghostly voices. Tape recorders became cheap and more portable, cd and minidiscs offered greater clarity in sound, and todays digital recording mediums are small enough to take anywhere... heck, even your phone most likely has one.
Digital voice recorder. There are always the critics and they generally point out that what people are hearing are sounds due to interference, equipment noise, background noise not noticed at the time (the fact that the mics are more sensitive to our ears means we could be picking up voices from a distance and not realise it) and, of course, our own bodily functions (a growling stomach can sound quite nasty).
We have a habit, our brains are wired to finding recognisable patterns in the signals sent to them from our senses. The main argument is that the sounds we are hearing are being misinterpreted by our brain into voices and words.
So how do we really know what we are dealing with?
Is there a way to classify these EVP's systemically so we can be more sure of what we have got?
We have a habit, our brains are wired to finding recognisable patterns in the signals sent to them from our senses. The main argument is that the sounds we are hearing are being misinterpreted by our brain into voices and words.
So how do we really know what we are dealing with?
Is there a way to classify these EVP's systemically so we can be more sure of what we have got?
The EVP Class System
Thomas Edison. There is an EVP class system that many investigators and researchers use to rate their recordings. Not all investigators use this system, and many class them differently but this is the general gist.
Class A EVP's are easily heard, the words are clear and no filtering or boosting of volume is needed to make them out. They are also generally words in response to a question, the source seemingly intelligent.
Class B EVP's are harder to make out. The voice can be made out but filtering or boosting of volume is needed to make them clearer. There may also be some disagreement to what the voice is saying.
Class C EVP's are hard to make out, are easily missed and need the highest filtering or volume boosting to even sound 'human'.
EVP's, well the good ones anyway, are considered by many to be some of the best proof for continued existence of the soul, spirit, our energies after death. Nearly every single investigator/researcher will have some sort of audio recorder handy on investigation for an EVP session – asking questions and hoping for responses of a paranormal origin.
To finish, here is a quote by quite a famous man, who is believed to have had plans and perhaps created a device for talking to the other side:
"If our personality survives, then it is strictly logical or scientific to assume that it retains memory, intellect, other faculties and knowledge that we acquire on this Earth. Therefore, if personality exists after what we call death, it is reasonable to conclude that those who leave the Earth would like to communicate with those they have left here. I am inclined to believe that our personality hereafter will be able to affect matter. If this reasoning be correct, then, if we can evolve an instrument so delicate as to be affected by our personality as it survives in the next life, such an instrument, when made available, ought to record something.”
Thomas Edison - his device, if it existed, was never found.
Class A EVP's are easily heard, the words are clear and no filtering or boosting of volume is needed to make them out. They are also generally words in response to a question, the source seemingly intelligent.
Class B EVP's are harder to make out. The voice can be made out but filtering or boosting of volume is needed to make them clearer. There may also be some disagreement to what the voice is saying.
Class C EVP's are hard to make out, are easily missed and need the highest filtering or volume boosting to even sound 'human'.
EVP's, well the good ones anyway, are considered by many to be some of the best proof for continued existence of the soul, spirit, our energies after death. Nearly every single investigator/researcher will have some sort of audio recorder handy on investigation for an EVP session – asking questions and hoping for responses of a paranormal origin.
To finish, here is a quote by quite a famous man, who is believed to have had plans and perhaps created a device for talking to the other side:
"If our personality survives, then it is strictly logical or scientific to assume that it retains memory, intellect, other faculties and knowledge that we acquire on this Earth. Therefore, if personality exists after what we call death, it is reasonable to conclude that those who leave the Earth would like to communicate with those they have left here. I am inclined to believe that our personality hereafter will be able to affect matter. If this reasoning be correct, then, if we can evolve an instrument so delicate as to be affected by our personality as it survives in the next life, such an instrument, when made available, ought to record something.”
Thomas Edison - his device, if it existed, was never found.
Ashley Hall 2013
RSS Feed
