Is it possible to hear voices from beyond the grave? It's a hotly debated topic between skeptics and believers.
There’s no mistaking that we can talk to the dead. Many of us find ourselves holding one-sided conversations with loved ones that have passed on. Every time I use my deceased grandmother’s favorite mixing bowl, I tell her what “we’re” making in it. Whether she can hear me or not is a question that no one can answer, but I like to imagine her right there with me, as if we’re cooking together like we used to when she was still alive.
Now, what if I told you that some people claim the dead can talk back, and actually be recorded on tape doing so? It’s called Electronic Voice Phenomena, or EVP, and for every skeptic there seem to be ten firm believers. Those believers say that recording EVP is not only possible, but relatively easy as well – something that just about anyone with a few simple and inexpensive pieces of equipment can do. The Internet is full of actual EVP examples, some of which are positively bone-chilling. But are they for real? Here, an explanation of exactly what EVP is … and how you can listen to the dead for yourself.
What is EVP?
In a nutshell, it’s a recording of a voice – or what sounds like one, anyway – with no apparent physical source. True believers contend that the sounds come from some sort of paranormal being, i.e. ghosts, but skeptics argue that the sounds either come from television or CB radio interference or are simply clusters of static and white noise that are imagined to be something they’re not. So how can people believe that a spirit – an entity lacking in vocal cords – can actually have a voice? The theory goes that EVP is not actually a physical “voice” so much as a magnetic image imprinted onto a tape; it’s the energy that a spirit brings and leaves behind being picked up, not the voice itself.
According to Sara Estep, who in 1982 founded the American Association: Electronic Voice Phenomena, there are three categories for rating EVP: Class C, where the voices are whispery and nearly unintelligible; Class B, where the voices are a bit louder and clearer but in lower tones and still difficult to understand; and Class A, where the voices are perfectly clear, can be heard without headphones, and transferred onto other tapes.
The voices are only heard upon playback of the tape, not while the taping itself is going on, and are normally limited to one or two words or short phrases. They may speak in a variety of different languages, some grammatically incorrect, much like living people do. Some of the examples available are clearly distinguishable as men, women, or children; others are not. Regardless, they’re all interesting to listen to.
A bit of EVP history …
Believe it or not, famed inventor Thomas Edison was one of the first people to experiment with EVP. In the early 1920s, his mother was critically ill, and Edison began trying to devise a method of speaking to her after her death. In the midst of his planning, his mother died. With his assistant, Dr. Miller Hutchinson, Edison began construction of a device that he would later call the Thomas Edison Communicator. He wrote, “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 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.” Unfortunately, Edison did not complete his invention before his death in 1931. Others have since completed his invention to the best of their abilities, but it isn’t really known how he truly intended the finished product to work.
In 1959, a simple task of taping birds’ songs led to an unexpected odyssey of EVP. A Swedish film producer named Friedrich Jürgenson, when playing back the bird calls, was startled to hear a voice say something about “bird voices in the night” – and even more startled when he heard his own mother’s familiar voice saying, “Friedrich, you are being watched. Friedel, my little Friedel, can you hear me?” This made a complete believer out of Jürgenson, and he devoted much time after that first discovery to recording EVP. He recorded hundreds of voices, played his tapes at international press conferences and eventually wrote two books: Voices from the Universe and Radio Contact with the Dead. His research and enthusiasm for the subject of EVP earned him the title “The Father of EVP” after his death.
A skeptic’s view …
It is impossible to prove that EVP comes from natural phenomena, but skeptics claim that’s most likely the case. It’s just noise, they say – static and interference from other sources. They also attribute the “voices” to one of two psychological terms. The first is called pareidolia, or the tendency to take a vague image and perceive it as something clear (the infamous “Virgin Mary in the grilled cheese sandwich” is a perfect example). The second is apophenia, the perception of meaningfulness and connection in two unrelated things. Basically, skeptics conclude, EVP is merely a product of our complex brains playing tricks on us, born from our desire to prove that there’s an afterlife and communicate with the dead.
How can I record my own EVP?
First you’ll need some simple equipment. You don’t have to have everything listed at first; just a tape recorder will do. But as you get better at it and gain more experience, you may want to “upgrade.” Standard equipment for capturing EVP is:
A tape recorder. Whatever type you have, make sure that it has a counter on it. The best variety to use is a cassette tape deck or open reel; portable tape recorders with built-in microphones tend to pick up a lot of background noise, making voices harder to hear.
A microphone. This should always be used when trying to record EVP.
An amplifier. Use one that you can plug your tape recorder into, since tape decks don’t have amplifiers. You can shell out a lot of cash for these, but it isn’t necessary to buy one at the high end of the price range. Just make sure you choose a high-quality amp with low noise characteristics.
Headphones. Since paranormal voices are often very quiet, headphones are absolutely necessary for playback. Plug them into the amplifier and listen carefully; you may miss something otherwise. When purchasing headphones, look for the snug-fitting “earmuff” type.
Tapes. Buy a low-noise, high-sensitivity tape, regular rather than high density (because high density tapes have higher residual noise levels than regular).
Speaker. Optional, but a good piece of equipment to have on hand if you want others to be able to hear while you’re using the headphones.
I’ve gathered my equipment. Now what?
You’ll need a regular time and place to do your recording, at least in the beginning. EVP can be gathered at any time of day or night, but it’s best to set up a “schedule” of sorts so that the spirits can have an idea of when and where to expect you. You don’t have to be in a cemetery or anything like that, although some very interesting EVP has been recorded there; a corner of the basement or a room that no one uses much will do. Set up your equipment, begin recording if you want your own voice on tape saying the date and time for documentation purposes, and then offer an announcement; it can be started off with a short prayer if you want. Calmly and clearly ask friends – both known and unknown – from the spirit world to join you. Start off with a question: “What is your name?” or “Do I have friends from the spirit world here?” Allow a couple minutes’ silence in order to record any answers (and don’t forget that you won’t be able to hear anything until playback). Then you may ask another question. If you desire to speak to a specific person, a loved one, for example, it helps to ask for assistance in finding that person. For best results, do it as you’re ending up taping for the day. Say something like, “When I return tomorrow, I would like to speak with John Jones. I would be grateful if you would try to bring him here.”
If your recording unit has a sensitivity level, consider setting it to the highest possible level. Make note on tape of any background noises that occur so that you don’t mistake them for paranormal sounds on playback. Limit recordings to five minutes or so for better manageability – a five-minute recording may take much longer to play back so that you don’t miss anything. When you’re nearly finished taping, make an ending announcement to let the spirits know you’re going away: another prayer, perhaps, and a few sentences to let them know when you’ll be back and thanking them for their cooperation. Let the tape run for another minute or so after you finish speaking to record any final messages from the spirits. Something to remember: when you talk on tape, do it in a loud voice – not a whisper that could sound like a ghostly voice when playing back the tape.
When it’s time to play back your tape, make sure you have supplies for keeping an accurate log. You’ll want to write down the results of your recordings. When you hear a voice, take note of the question asked, response received, and the date, time, and place on the counter. Label each tape and include the tape number and side in your log.
Don’t expect a Class A, or loud and clear, EVP on your first few recordings. When you play your tape back, play it slowly, taking your time to listen very carefully. Keep in mind that many ghost voices are very quiet and faint; they may even speak in whispers, so be prepared for that possibility. Also, don’t expect to hear voices every time you record. It may take several times before anyone comes through. This is exactly why it’s helpful to keep a schedule for a while, and to be patient and persistent. Once you began to record voices, you’ll find that subsequent recordings will be more clear and frequent as the spirits learn through practice.
A few helpful EVP tips …
For the best results in recording EVP, there are a few things to keep in mind. Approach the task with a positive attitude and minimal, if any, skepticism. Always use brand new tapes; never tape over pre-recorded content. Ask the spirits to talk loudly when they answer you. Don’t confuse background noise with paranormal voices; if it sounds like background noise, that’s most likely what it is. And always thank the spirits at the end!
Whether you believe in it or not, the possibility of speaking to the dead is intriguing. It is something that people have tried to do, by one method or another, throughout history. Finding a link to those that have passed on is a means of reassurance of our own immortality – even if it isn’t physical.