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.