Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP)
by Shelly Barclay, December 2010 – Updated April 2021
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What is Electronic Voice Phenomenon
Electronic voice phenomenon or EVP is the name for human voice-like recordings that are allegedly unexplainable, meaning the people making the recording did not make the noises. They can occur in the background of normal recordings, even when other people are speaking. They can appear on a radio that is not tuned to a station. Essentially, they can appear on any audio recording device, especially those that are “sensitive.” EVP only shows up during playback, however. You cannot hear it while you are making the recording. Most believers say that these voices or human sounds are the voices of the dead – spirits who are communicating with the living.
The concept of electronic voice phenomena has been around almost as long as the ability to record sound. For nearly 100 years, people have been making these recordings and attempting to explain them. The first examples of EVP are confusing. Quotes from Konstantin Raudive recordings include nonsense bits like “please interrupt” and “might be Mary-bin.” Then, there were recordings of his like “I follow you tonight” that is still confusing, but eerily menacing. If spirits are going to say things like that, are we sure we want to hear them?
EVP Examples
Here are some supposed examples of electronic voice phenomena. Some of these videos contain alarming sounds and eerie footage. Consider yourself warned.
Skepticism
Skeptics agree that electronic voice phenomena can be explained in several different ways without blaming it on spirits. Cross-modulation, misinterpreted white noise, the power of suggestion and apophenia are just a few things that could potentially cause one to hear voices in a recording. Many believers in EVP will tell you the same thing. They know EVP may have a logical explanation. However, some have gone to great lengths to make recordings without the possibility of any of these other explanations occurring. In their minds, in the words of the great Spock, “Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
For details on how to record electronic voice phenomena, try this website. The writer details how to minimize the possibility of corrupting the recording, thus ensuring (to the best of your ability) that the recordings are electronic voice phenomena, whatever it may be.
If you want to attempt to record EVPs, we suggest you get a decent EVP recorder. Amazon has several EVP recorders for sale at a reasonable cost.
