| Always make sure you have fresh or new batteries in your recorder. Weak batteries can cause a
recorder to drag thus affecting your recording and giving false results.
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| Digital Audio Recorders are a good source to use for audio recording. Top brands include Sony, Olympus, Tascam and the H2 Zoom. Models to avoid would be RCA. When purchasing a recorder, do as much research as humanly possible. Visit forums, websites, ask questions.
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| Do not use micro-cassette recorders. Digital audio
recorders give much better results.
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| Question and answer sessions seem to work best for us. While you can simply let a recorder run
and record, we find it far more easier and practical to do a question and answer session, limiting each
recording to a minute or two. No longer than that. We'll ask a question, always allow 30-40 seconds
for an answer, then proceed to maybe another question, then stop recorder. Repeat the process.
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| Have a gameplan of questions you wish to ask. Research goes a long way here. Anytime you can
find out as much information about an area or person is most helpful. Questions familiar with the
deceased about a location, event or their life in general are excellent ways to communicate.
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| If your recorder has a sensitivity level, adjust it to the highest level.
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| Always ask permission to ask questions. Just a matter of respect could greatly increase your
chances of recording a voice.
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| Make a note during recording of any extra sounds or noises so you won't confuse it with evp audio.
Tag these out loud as they occur. An example would be "Donnie's stomach is growling". Do not
whisper as this can easily be confused for evp. Speak in a normal tone.
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| State the time, date, location, and weather conditions to begin your session.
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| Always show respect for the deceased when asking questions and thank them after your session has
ended. Do not anger or provoke while asking questions. While some groups do it, we believe it can
lead to problems in certain situations and certainly shows lack of respect.
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| When doing playback of your data, always go to a quiet, undisturbed area to listen to your audio
recordings. Do not listen to recordings when you are sleepy or tired. It is very easy to miss something
being said or communicated.
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| When doing playback, it is best to use headphones that cover your ears to eliminate outside noise.
Noise reduction headphones are an excellent choice to use. Again, name brand headphones as with
tapes can make a difference in the quality of your recordings.
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| Be practical about your evaluation. Play a audio clip for a friend without telling them what it says, do so for a few friends just to see what
they hear. Does it match up with what you hear ? Do any of their opinions match ? If very few match and or they do not match with your opinion, that should tell you its probably not the best audio clip.
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| Class A evps are what we strive for. A class A evp is one where everyone unamiously agrees on what is being said. Its loud, its
clear, you can distinguish what is an adult, what is a child, what is a man, what is a woman. Its a clear, crisp response to your question.
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| Do not get discouraged if you do not capture evps immediately. It happens to all of us. Take your time, relax and just
let the conversation flow. Continue to ask questions or make comments. Just settle down in one area and let them come to you. Be patient, give it time. Have yourself in the right
frame of mind, be relaxed. Stress or tension can show. Do not provoke.
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| It is possible you may not capture evps you first several times out. Each situation, location and investigation can bring different
results. A lot of clips are just a matter of right place, right time.
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| Always be respectful. Please keep in mind, these were living human beings at one time and they simply may choose not to speak to you or
anyone for that matter. We've all had days like that in our lives too.
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| Keep your sessions short, 2 minutes is a good start, then repeat the procedure. It is so much easier to review a shorter audio clip than
a long one. Reviewing long clips, you can lose your place, become tired when reviewing and miss something vital. Long clips can also be very difficult to analyze with audio software.
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| Yes, it is possible when you turn your recorder on and off with short sessions, that you could miss a voice coming through.
It is rare that occurs but keep in mind, it makes the review so much easier. Be quick when you stop and start a new recording. Have your recorder near you at all time.
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| Do not fiddle with your equipment, belongings when conducting an evp session. Your objective is to keep the room absolutely as QUIET as
you can when doing your session other than you speaking or asking a question. Same applies with your team mates when working together. It is extremely rude to make noises and be unaware of your surroundings
when conducting an audio session. Avoid coughing, sneezing, sniffles, etc. If you can not control these, then leave the room until you have it under control.
Respect is needed. For the deceased you are trying to contact and your team mates who are trying to capture evps as you are. Absolute quiet is a MUST.
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| Evps and audio data can be some of the best and easiest evidence to capture but it requires a positive mindset, each team to be on the same page,
showing respect and being aware and avoiding outside added noises at all costs.
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| When working as a team of 2-4 investigators, form a plan as to whom will ask questions. Be it the entire group, then rotate your questions
and comments in some kind of order and do not stray from that. If someone does not have a question, simply say PASS. Do not go out of turn, or overtalk someone, be organized. Have a plan.
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| Audio data should be reviewed within 48 hours of your investigation while much of the investigation itself is fresh in your memory.
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| When doing review, use headphone and go to a very quiet area to listen to your clips. Make notes when a quality clip has been
captured. Write down the area captured, the clip number from your recorder and the timestamp when the clip was captured. Example would be "In the Morgue, clip 4 at the 1:27 mark where you begin to ask your question
and then the reply that follows afterward. Sometimes a reply to a question may take more than 30 seconds. Please keep that is mind.
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| Best case senarios are ask your question, allow 30-40 seconds for a response then move on to the next question.
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