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.