How to Conduct a Proper EVP Session

Jeff and Linda EVP session at Edgewood Old Mill

EVP sessions can be an essential part of a paranormal investigation. Not only can they provide evidence that an entity is present, but they may also provide answers to help determine who or what the entity is and why it remains at the location. Through a series of questions, we hope to gather as much evidence as possible to help explain the unknown. We at Virginia Paranormal Investigations believe that the methods provided in this article will help investigators to obtain the clearest, uncontaminated EVP's in an effort to gather the most intangible, indisputable evidence of the spiritual realm that lies intertwined with the locations we investigate.
     Let's start with the location. Determining where to conduct an EVP session depends largely on the location you are investigating. It's obviously always a good idea to hit the areas with the most reports of activity. In some cases, however,  you may be walking along when the EMF detector spikes or temperature changes and decide to set up right then and there. Making sure the location is secure is essential. Note any background noise that could be mistaken for an EVP. If there is too much background noise, then it my be useless to conduct the session. This can often occur at outdoor locations when the wind isn't cooperating. We have experimented with windy locations on the theory that wind can provide a type of ambient sound and energy for the spirits to communicate, but have had no success. Setting up for an EVP session also depends largely on the location. We will use a residential investigation as an example in which you can apply these methods to most locations. First, synchronize your watches. In some cases, the spirit may respond better to the homeowner, so it's not a horrible idea to have them sit in on the session and ask some questions, providing they are briefed on the procedures. If the residents are not taking part in the session, then we always have someone monitoring them. This investigator will have a notepad and will jot down any noises they make (coughing, whispering, talking, etc.) along with the exact time of the noise. This will prevent the EVP analyst from mistaking the noise for something paranormal. Another investigator should be posted outside of the house, also with a notepad. It will be this person's job to log any noises he or she hears coming from the exterior of the house (people talking, birds, cars, etc.) for the same reason; to avoid a mistaken EVP.
     Now that your perimeter is well observed, lets talk about the investigators actually sitting around the recorder questioning the entity. The recorder should be placed on a flat, solid surface. You don't want to risk movement of the recorder or vibrations in the surface to contaminate your evidence. EVP sessions are always best with fewer people, as there is less chance of undue sounds. One of the investigators in the room should have a notepad to log any natural or explainable noises that occur. There should be no whispering during the session as whispers can sometimes be mistaken for an EVP. It's ok to talk, however, do so in a regular tone so that the EVP analyst knows it's your voice. At the start of the EVP session, everyone should state their names in an introductory manner. This is both showing courtesy to what ever spirit may be there, and it will allow the EVP analyst to hear your voice and compare it to any possible EVP's and determine if it's one of the investigators or something paranormal.
     Your perimeter is under surveillance and your EVP room is set up, now into the questioning. We prefer to take a conversation tone rather than an interrogation tone during the EVP sessions. What I mean by this is try to approach the spirit more subtly rather than badger him or her with questions. If they feel like they are under the spotlight, they may shy away. It's always a good idea to try and empathize or at least sympathize with the spirit; of course this can only be done if you have some background info on the spirit and/or location. Try to think of good trigger questions such as something that the spirit may have enjoyed in life, or current events from the time they were alive. The world may have progressed, but they may still be living in the past. Just like with people, if you can spark their interest, they may be willing to sit and talk with you. Aside from establishing a connection, feel free to ask any questions that may help provide the answers you are seeking. During the session, remember to vocally tag any noises you hear. this will provide a back up form of verification to coincide with the logs being kept by the other investigators.
     When you're ready to conclude your EVP session, remember to thank the entity who may have been communicating with you. With all of the sounds documented by the investigators with the notepads and the vocal tags, any one of the investigators should be able to analyze the EVP session. If the analyst finds a sound that wasn't heard by the investigator outside the house, the investigator with the residents, or anyone in the room, then quite possibly it's a solid EVP not to be easily debunked.
     We hope these methods prove helpful on your next investigation. As I stated earlier, EVP's can be a crucial part of the evidence you obtain during your investigation. Skeptics will always try to debunk your evidence, which is why it's imperative to obtain the most concrete evidence possible. Any explanation that people can come up with, will be suggested and we want to make sure we can't debunk it before we submit it. Aside from providing evidence of a spiritual presence, the results of your EVP session may also give you answers to help connect some of the pieces of your research. If you implement some of these methods, next time you hear a noise on your recorder that's not logged, you most likely picked up a good EVP.