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EVP Research and Techniques The Stone Tape Theory Since the early 1970s the Stone Tape Theory has been one of the most prolific thoughts behind the EVP phenomenon. The theory is based on the suggestion that buildings and materials are able to absorb a measure of energy from living beings. It is believed that the materials in stone, brick or concrete (such as quartz, silica, etc.) may have properties for absorbing and “recording” energy from various events. With this thought in mind it is now possible to comprehend how buildings, rocks or the earth are able to absorb energy from the living beings that inhabit them. Most typical hauntings tend to have been a very emotion laden scene such as a murder, or they could have been a very important time from the point of view of the participants. During the events that took place, some of the energies may have been absorbed by the building or area that the participants were in. This area has now become imprinted, recording the energies expelled into the local environment by the participants. At a later time or under certain conditions, such as when a trigger mechanism is activated, the absorbed energy “replayed” much like a DVD in a DVD player. Once recorded, the scene becomes much like a ‘psychic video’. Researchers speculate that the recording is laid down during times of high emotional stress such as murder, grief or an important time in someone’s life. This energy can be stored for an unspecified amount of time and the replay is triggered by a witness with the correct attributes that may be sympathetic to the event or psychically sensitive enough to trigger the cell. Stress, elevated emotional levels and such can also act as a trigger to release the energies that have been absorbed by the local environment. The released energies can then manifest as a “classical” ghost image or perhaps just sounds such as voices or footsteps. Consequently, the scene that is being replayed may have nothing to do with the people who were originally there, as they are probably no longer alive or associated with the location. The released energies now are simply acting as a record of what took place. This theory is also a strong proponent of the Repeat Haunting Theory. The Iron Oxide Enigma What about buildings made of wood and other materials that do not contain quartz, silica or other materials that can absorb the energies? Buildings made of wood or metal will inevitably have some amount of iron oxide in them. Isn’t iron oxide rust? Yes, and it’s the material used to record sounds and images on audio and video tapes. All ferrous metals can be magnetized and thusly can hold a magnetic charge to one degree or another. With the ability to be charged with magnetic, electromagnetic, or bioelectric energies these places have the same qualities as those that have quartz or silica in them. Both the Stone Tape Theory and The Iron Oxide Enigma present a line of rationale that point to a mechanism for paranormal events to take place. These ideas, coupled with the First Law of Thermodynamics and other scientific evidence, present a strong case for the existence of paranormal activity. The Skeptical Argument Against EVP Contrary to the premise of the 2004 film “White Noise,” EVP is most often recorded without the use of “white noise.” White noise itself is nothing more than random static from a radio, television, or other source. Although this method has been used successfully in recording EVP it is not necessary to utilize it. The phenomenon of EVP has been experienced and documented since the time when some of the original recording devices were being invented. Persons skeptical of EVP tend to reason that the voices are caused by stray radio broadcasts or pre-recorded voices on re-used tapes. Aside from outright fraud, and to be sure there is some that is taking place here and there, this left the skeptics with the one “reasonable” explanation – at least in their minds: the voices were caused by fragments of radio broadcasts. This dismissive explanation makes it clear that these skeptics – who usually tout themselves as being scientifically minded – have never tried to record EVP and have certainly not researched the phenomenon very well. Unfortunately, this is very often the case with skeptics and the paranormal. If you are using digital media and a radio frequency counter (or similar radio wave / frequency monitoring device) there isn’t much of an argument left for the skeptics, especially after you analyze the sounds on a spectrogram. If the skeptics had performed any form of research at all they would have found that the radio broadcast theory they so often tout is absurd. Why? Quite often, the voices on the EVP recordings respond in a logical and rational manner to questions posed by paranormal researchers. The chances of a stray radio broadcast doing answering a specific question with just a few choice words are too remote from a statistics and probability standpoint to even consider by any objective person. Also, the voices are clearly not those of loudmouthed DJs or other broadcasters; they are voices of average people, children, adults, seniors, male and female. Some have accents and some are infused with human emotion and there are real personalities behind these voices. There are so many EVPs that have been recorded which reflect the full range of human personalities and emotions. These “people” are not only self-aware, but their interaction with paranormal researchers indicates that they are aware of the living. They can hear us and see us. That unsettling thought raises many questions. Do they know they are dead? Do they know we are alive? Do they know the difference? What is their world like? Acoustics and EVP A room, which is defined as a cavity enclosed by boundaries, has resonant frequencies at which the acoustic response to a source, such as background noise, can be incredibly detrimental to EVP sampling. The frequencies at which the audible resonances occur will depend on the shape and dimensions of the room. Most rooms contain several various types of construction media such as concrete and wood as well as other items such as furniture and household effects that will also have an impact on the recording and sampling quality of EVP. Because of this inevitable fact most rooms must be divided into antinodes, where the sound reflection value (SRV) is considered to be at the maximum, and nodes, where the sound reflection value is at a minimum. This “zone” approach is a strategic layout for quality assurance in EVP recording so that there will be a minimum amount of environmental distortion in the EVP recording. The question that now comes up is this: exactly how does placement of a sound recorder affect the acoustic response of the room in EVP recordings? If we choose an area that is directly in a node, which has a sound absorbing quality, we may not be able to record the EVP sounds successfully because of the lack of sound reflection. Conversely, if we place our recording equipment directly in an antinode we may pick up a lot of echoes or other sounds that are reflecting off of the surfaces in the room. Strategic positioning is the key to recording EVP. How to choose the right spot? That is up to the discretion of the investigator. He or she must look at the room from an acoustical standpoint and determine where they believe the best place to record EVP will be. The Mechanics behind EVP Believe it or not Thomas Edison is the father of modern EVP. In the later part of his life he would spend time alone in his workshop and he would speak aloud so that he could record various questions and thoughts on a modified phonograph style machine. He was amazed to find that some of his questions on the recording were actually being answered by a voice that was not his. After discovering this he then became so fascinated with this concept that he was almost obsessed with the possibility of speaking with the dead. As his life progressed in his later years he would often lock himself in his workshop, turn his recorder on, ask questions and record the silence in between the questions. The responses he found on his recordings, as well as his own natural curiosity prompted him to attempt to invent a device very much like a telephone with which the living may speak to the dead. Although this invention never saw fruition Mr. Edison played an important role on a stage which was yet to be set – that of the modern paranormal investigator. The recording device that Mr. Edison used is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, USA. Now that we have a small bit of background history we can analyze some basic facts on communication. In our digital information age humans communicate with each other through various means; however the two primary and most vital of these are the mediums of spoken and written language. The portion of spoken language is a far earlier development in the history of the human species than is the written portion of the sounds of the language, nevertheless as far as mechanics are concerned; speech seems to be a far more mysterious event than is writing. Generally we do not think about the mechanics behind speech and how the sounds are produced, it is seems to be more of a natural function that we just do. Very early in our life we begin to acquire the skill of translating auditory information into a meaningful and logical language. A great deal of advancement in the field of speech mechanics has been made in the past few decades and we can now fully understand how speech patterns are produced and sounds are made. Thanks to anatomical studies we know that air is passed up through the trachea from the lungs and through the larynx (vocal cords). Studies have indicated that during conscious efforts to speak air in the lungs passes through the larynx and the brain controls the tension on the vocal muscles to create the sounds that we want to produce. This change in the air pressure which is being exhaled from the lungs creates sound waves. Sounds, audible to the human ear or not, are actually waves of pressure changes in an elastic medium, such as air. When there is an absence of a medium there can be no sound, which is why there can be no sound within a perfect vacuum. The range in which the human ear can perceive sounds is from 20 db (decibels) to 20,000 db. This is the basic measurement for the middle range of sound tones. Sounds below the 20 db range are infrasonic (also known as subsonic or Extremely Low Frequencies or ELF) and sounds above the 20,000 db range are ultrasonic (also known as Extremely High Frequencies or EHF). It should be noted here that the human ear is incapable of perceiving sounds within either the infrasonic or the ultrasonic ranges. Although sound waves can travel through solid objects they tend to lose their strength as they do so. This weakening also occurs the farther the sound wave gets from its source. Because of these characteristics the source of sound waves is sometimes difficult to determine. For technical illustrations on sound waves in relation to the electromagnetic spectrum refer to figure 10.1 below.
Figure 10.1 In regards to the physics of sound, most scientists accept that the human voice is capable of creating sounds from the 280 db range to the 1000 db range. It is understood to be physically impossible for any human to make a vocal sound that will fall below or rise above this range. Most of the EVP that has been captured to date falls within the ELF range. The frequency of the EVP in question can be easily determined by a spectrographic program (spectrogram). There are numerous programs presently on the market which have superb spectrographic analysis capabilities, however due to the constantly changing face of technology I will refrain from naming any directly due to the fact that by the time this publication reached you the programs mentioned would no doubt be out of date or a better program would have come along and replaced the previous version. Once you have validated the voices in the recording via a spectrogram it will then be up to the investigator to authenticate them by finding if they are either below 280 db or above 1000 db. Once you have done this you then know that what you have on your EVP recording is genuine evidence of EVP phenomenon.
Classes of EVP Recording Devices and Other Equipment There are numerous products on the market with which you can record EVP. The list of items that will be discussed here are of a fairly basic variety that can be found in most electronics stores. These are recommended for any paranormal investigator who is serious about capturing and analyzing EVP. Most of these items tend to be moderately priced and are neither the highest grade of professional equipment, but conversely, they are not the lowest grade of consumer commodity either. · Recorders: digital recorders, PC based recording, standard cassette, mini cassette · Microphones (internal): unidirectional, stereo, omni-directional · Microphones (external): stereo, omni-directional, parabolic · Software: spectrographic analysis & mapping, sound modification · Decibel meter for measuring noise levels in a controlled environment · Music: period music from around the time that the ghost might have been alive · Radio frequency detector · White noised CD or white noise generator Which Recording Equipment Is Right For Me? I have been asked many times whether I prefer digital recorders or traditional cassette type recorders for capturing EVP. I have found that digital recorders are much easier to use and the sound files are infinitely easier to analyze when compared to a traditional cassette type recorder. Digital recorders also have the distinct advantage of not having moving mechanical parts as traditional cassette style recorders do. This lack of moving mechanical parts renders a much cleaner, truer recording when taking sound samples for EVP purposes. Digital recorders also have an advantage over cassette style recorders in the fact that they usually are more compact and have a much longer recording time than do cassettes, which are eliminated in the digital format (one less thing to have to carry). Additionally, on many digital sound recorders you may set up a “file system” which can be used to separate EVP samples from different investigation areas. I have to say that even though I prefer digital recorders to cassette recorders for ease of use there is nothing wrong with cassette recorders as they capture EVP just as well as a digital recorder does. Although cassette recorders create tapes in an analog format they can be converted to a digital format in an analog to digital conversion. When a microphone on a sound recorder detects vibratory activity the changes in air pressure which created the sounds is converted into proportional variations in electrical voltage which is translated onto the cassette tape surface. In order to convert the analog cassette recording to a digital format the sounds from the cassette must be imported to a computer from the external recording device. Computers which are equipped with the proper spectrographic software can convert the analog voltage variations from non-digital sound recordings into digital sound waveforms in a process called analog to digital conversion (ADC). An adapter will have to be purchased from an electronics store so that the sounds can be converted from an analog format to a digital format. This adapter will plug into the headphone jack or audio output jack of the recorder and into the MIC or audio input of the soundcard on the computer. I must make a warning to all would-be EVP enthusiasts: do not use micro cassette recorders as they have limited bandwidth and are not very receptive to EVP phenomenon. I fully expect that by the time that this publication reaches you that cassette and micro cassette recorders will be pretty much considered antiquated equipment and may not be available anyway. Even so, I thought it would be prudent to pass on that information for those of you who may choose to work with cassette recorders or who want to try different types of media for recording EVP. If you find that a digital recorder is out of your budget range and you have to purchase a cassette style recorder it is advisable for you to be sure that when choosing the recorder it has an external microphone. Cassette recorders which have internally mounted microphones are almost useless as far as EVP recording is concerned as this type or recorder usually picks up the sounds from the internal mechanisms of the recording device. It is also advisable that when you consider the purchase of a recorder you should check to see if that particular model has a stereo or omni-directional microphone or if it has a unidirectional microphone. Although a unidirectional microphone will work they do not tend capture EVP as well as a stereo microphone would. In lieu of becoming redundant I will state here that my advice on the purchase of a camera also holds true for recorders that will be used for EVP. I do have to make one admission however. Although I still use the traditional cassette tape recorders on occasion, I find that I prefer the newer digital recorders for their enhanced performance and ease of use. What I have found to be one of the most useful features (on some of the digital recorders, but not all) is that you can feed the recorded files directly into your laptop or desktop computer right away so that you can view and analyze the EVP results right then and there. This ability is greatly valued because it makes it possible to run the EVP recordings though any one of several sound analysis programs, called spectrograms, that can be purchased either at retail stores or downloaded off of the internet. Once installed, these programs allow you open the sound files on computer so that you can hear and view the sound and sound waves in real time. Many of these programs allow you to manipulate the sound files so that you may speed them up, slow them down, reverse them, stretch the sounds, change pitch and tone in the recording, and manipulate the EVP recording in other ways without actually changing or damaging the integrity of the original EVP recording. Although I do not endorse the manipulation of photos there have been a number of instances with a digital EVP recording where the file has been modified so that the EVP can be understood. This manipulation is far easier with digital media than it is with traditional cassette type recordings. On occasion in some EVP recordings there have been sounds that appeared to be unintelligible noises, almost sounding like a mechanical defect with the recorder. However, when the EVP track was slowed down, stretched, or even reversed there were clear and understandable messages within the sounds. As far as guidelines for recording EVP with digital recorders are concerned I really don’t have too much to say except that you should be sure that the batteries in the recorder are good and that you should carry spares, if necessary. It is also preferred that the recorder that you are using have either a stereo microphone setting of an omni directional microphone. Unidirectional microphones tend to be very limited in their capabilities as far as recording EVP is concerned. For cassette recorders however, the guidelines are a spirit of another shade. When dealing with cassette tape recorders there are a few guidelines that should be remembered. These are: 1. If using a cassette style recorder you should always use a fresh cassette tape for each EVP session. Never record over or use a tape that has been previously used as this may result in false EVP recordings and diminished sound quality on the tape. 2. Make sure that the batteries in the recorder are fresh so as to eliminate “tape dragging” that would cause distortion and false sound anomalies in the sound file. 3. You may experience and “tape hiss” on the recording. This effect is common on some “economy” grade cassettes. This, as well as heavy amounts of distortion may be encountered so it is recommended that a high grade of cassette tape be used. 4. You may also experience “white noise” or “static noise” interference. This is usually generated by the unidirectional microphone on the recorder that has been pointed towards a source of magnetic interference, wind, etc. To solve this problem be sure that you are not near a source of electromagnetic interference. If the problem persists you may have to purchase an omni-directional or stereo microphone with a cord for your recorder. If you are using a digital recorder you should check for digital static which can be found on some recordings. This is generally not a problem however as it was found to occur mostly on first generation digital recorders. Many times, stereo type microphones can be found at music stores, some select electronics stores, and internet retailers. 5. If you are recording indoors, investigators should always be aware of the environment that they are recording in. If there are people talking within the range of the recorder, if the recording are being made in a “high echo” area, or if there are other background noises which can interfere with the quality of the recording it may render the EVP file useless. 6. You may want to consider making a “profile” recording of each of the persons who are attending the investigation. In this circumstance this allows the investigator to have a file with which to distinguish actual EVP from other people on the site who may be creating background chatter. This can be done by having each person on the investigation site state their name on the recording for comparison purposes. 7. If you are recording in an outdoor environment you should be aware of planes flying overhead, vehicular traffic in the area, barking dogs, trains, chirping crickets or birds, water, wind, and other background noisemakers that may get picked up on the recording. Digital recorders are particularly susceptible to background noise as they tend to be more sensitive to the surrounding environmental conditions that are cassette type recorders. 8. Not all background noise is “bad.” Some chatter, white noise, ambient background noise, or low volume music can actually help capture EVP. It is up to the discretion of the investigator to decide what is appropriate for the situation. 9. You may wish to make a recording of the average ambient background noise of an area so that you will have a subjective sample to compare your EVP samples to. It is also good to log any decibel meter activity during this period as well. 10. Traditionally to record EVP investigators have set up recording equipment and allowed the recording to run for hours in order to attempt to capture EVP. Obviously this process led to hours upon hours of tedious analysis of tape with mostly nothing on it. Generally speaking when attempting to record EVP you can record for as little as thirty (30) seconds or as much as ten (10) minutes. Recording more time that lasts for more than 10 minute intervals usually yields no more EVP than when shorter times are recorded. 11. If possible try not to walk while recording EVP and try to keep your arm still if you are holding the recorder. This will eliminate the sounds of false footsteps and possible sound from air movement. Also, if you are holding the recorder do not move your fingers on the hand you are holding the recorder with. This will prevent your fingers from rubbing the recorder body or case. This friction will be picked up by the recorder and can potentially sound like a false EVP sound. Note: If your digital or cassette recorder does not have a USB jack an adapter cord can be purchased at certain electronics stores. This cord will have a jack on one end that will plug into the recorder “headphones” jack. The other end will plug into the “input,” “source” or “mic” jack on your computer’s sound card. Microphones It had been mentioned before that a stereo microphone is preferred over a unidirectional built-in model. There are several advantages to the external microphone set up. The most obvious is mobility – the ability to move the mic without having to direct the recorder in any particular direction. Another important asset that the external stereo microphone brings is, well, just that – the ability to record 360 degrees in stereo. Microphone range is important. By “range” I mean sound range, not the physical distance that it can record from effectively. When shopping for a microphone it is recommended that you begin by looking for a stereo microphone that is made for recording vocals – not some bargain bin piece of junk from a dollar store. Before you make your purchase be sure that the microphone range is measured in Hz. The larger the range, the better your chances are at getting clear EVP. Often times in this book I have written that whatever will work within your budget will work as investigation equipment. That, for the most part, is true – however you should remember that get what you pay for. When you make an investment in your equipment you make an investment in your results. Although no results are guaranteed I have found (through many years of personal experience) if you purchase better equipment, at least in the case of EVP recording devices, you will stand a better chance of capturing anomalous sounds. This recommendation about the microphone also holds true with the other two pieces of equipment that you will need: the recorder and the speakers (or headset). Recording Techniques There are three basic methods in which an investigator can record EVP. These are: Microphone Recording – This is probably going to be the most straight to the point and familiar method that investigators will utilize in the field to record EVP with. It is, as the name implies, a recording made with a microphone. Although a stereo microphone that is used for vocal recordings is preferred a unidirectional built-in model will work as well, however it will not be as efficient and it may not capture the full range of audio anomalies that may occur during the investigation. Static Recording – This is the most debated and controversial type of EVP recording as it utilizes a static radio signal or television signal to modify EVP sounds. This method is controversial, if not sometimes outright questionable due to the fact that the very core method of this recording style uses static waves generated “between” radio or television channels. These “in between” channels can have embedded signals, nearly undetectable broadcast fragments and other such electronic noise that would render the EVP invalid. Although limited success has been found in this method it is generally used as a last resort when tools for White Noise Recording are not available. This method may do in a pinch, but I do not recommend it as a staple of the investigators arsenal of tools. White Noise Recording – This method of EVP recording is probably the most credible and reliable as it uses random pattern “clean” white noise. This white noise can be “generated” from a CD or it can be created on site by a small white noise generator that can be attached to the input of a portable stereo system. To date this is the most reliable and credible system for capturing Class A EVP. A Summary of General Guidelines and Tips for Recording EVP Recording EVP
Post EVP Work
Speaking with the Spirits: Why Does it Work? Many times when an investigator records EVP they will make certain statements or ask questions to what would appear to be an empty room. Occasionally they will get a response, and generally speaking, the response is appropriate to the question and is intelligible. An appropriate response to a question which has been posed denotes intelligence. This may be a quite unsettling thought for some people. To venture into an unfamiliar place, to ask questions when there is no one else around, and then to receive a response to a question that is appropriate and specific may unnerve even the individuals of the most galvanized sort. Obviously, in an attempt to obtain an EVP sample we understand why an investigator would pose location specific questions but, what some the most veteran of investigators do not understand is how it works. Here is where we will begin a rudimentary exploration of energy and wave mechanics so that we can better understand the hows and whys of this phenomenon. Some of the areas of science that were mentioned earlier in the book are intertwined in the areas which you are reading about presently. Getting down to the matter at hand we know that when we speak our voice is carried in waves of sound, which is energy. Although these sound waves have a limited range of projection before they dissipate, they are still created and directed with a specific purpose. These sound waves, which now have a specific purpose and direction, are, as we have found, energy. This energy now acts upon energy that it comes into contact with as it radiates outward as we speak thusly validating Michael Faraday’s (English chemist born 1791, died 1876) Principle of Electromagnetic Induction. To paraphrase Faraday’s Principle of Electromagnetic Induction we know that “power induces power.” A mathematical equation of this thought is illustrated below. B EMF = N ______ A EMF = electromagnetic field N = number of oscillations in the electromagnetic field A = electromagnetic flux field B = negative change rate in flux field What does this mean? In our case, the “power induces power” would apply to all forms of energy, including sound waves. These sound waves contact other energy forms as they radiate outward when we speak. In a sense, the sound waves “charge” the other energies that they come into contact with, thusly inducing their “power” or energy. This induced power is a mechanism which activates a type of manifestation that is found to be a response on a similar wavelength as the original power which induced it. It should be noted however that this manifested “response,” although on a similar wavelength, is a degenerated form of the original energy. The response to a question that has been asked is usually found to be on a subsonic wavelength. It is through this process that we receive EVP. Now, since it has been stated that the degenerated “response” we call EVP is on a subsonic wavelength, which is considered to be less powerful that the original energy, you may be wondering how a voice recorder can manage to pick up sounds on such low frequencies. There are two lines of thinking on this topic. Line of thought number one: Low energy sound waves are emitted by bioelectric entity, which we can not hear. Even though we can not hear these subsonic sounds, they still have enough energy to cause the diaphragm in the receiver of a microphone to vibrate. When the diaphragm vibrates it modulates the current electromagnetic field at the core of the mic, thus creating the electrical recording. Once the recording is made, the signal is amplified through the circuits in the device which created the recording that we hear. The sounds that humans make are simple air vibrations that are changed in pitch, tone and frequency when the air in the lungs is expelled and passed over the larynx. Since ghosts lack each of these fundamental physiological organs to create sound it has been surmised that ghosts “think” that they are speaking and that these thought waves can be recorded as EVP. The vibration of the energies is the same but the pitch, tone and frequency is out of human perceptive range. This would explain why we can record the EVP sounds but not hear them. Line of thought number two: Most sound recording devices use a condenser type of microphone. These microphones are small, use little battery power and can be quite sensitive. Condenser mics respond to the smallest amount of physical vibration, sound vibration, and even electromagnetic vibration such as EVP. In the case of a condenser mic, there is a thin piece of metal attached to a quartz crystal and when any type of energy strong enough to create a vibratory field contacts the crystal, the crystal vibrates and releases electrical impulses. These electrical impulses, which are a natural occurrence within crystalline structures when used in this type of device, then modulates the electrical current. The modulated electrical current from the crystal is released onto the metal plate and sent to the pre-amp circuit in the mic. The pre-amp then increases the strength of the electrical signal that is being produced. From there the electrical signal is then sent to the amp in the recorder and then saved to a digital storage memory where it can be retrieved later.
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