Need help clarifying some EVP's.

[TheFriendlyCoast]

Hello again, all!

I was wondering if the kind souls at PPI wouldn't mind helping me clarify an EVP that's already very clear, but it's kind of a curiosity thing at this point. I'd just like to flesh it out a bit more, so to speak, so that I know for sure it's an EVP.

I'm not sure exactly how to correctly give you the audio file, so I simply attached it to the forum post.

The session we did was around 1:30 AM MST and lasted nearly a half hour, so the audio file is a bit long. I cataloged most of the EVPs I had heard, and then lost the note in spring cleaning, however I know that the clearest two EVP's I heard were the 10min53sec mark and the 21min27 sec mark in the session.

The first EVP that really sent me reeling was when my sister stated the entity(s) didn't have to be shy, to which a response was whispered: "I'm not shy".

The second was one simply stunned me after I was done reeling from the first. My sister, again, asks if the entity had been in the kitchen, to which a particularly noticeable little child's voice answers: "Yeah." and then continues speaking, however it's not clear what he or she is saying. The popular opinion is that he or she is saying "Me and Ellie. Ellie." (Ellie being my five year old niece) or something to that effect.

I used a Zen mp3 player from around 2004 to record most of my sessions, so it's a mono track with plenty of white noise, which is why I believe we captured such clear audio. The device has since been damaged, but I was lucky enough to pull the files out beforehand. Unfortunately, I can't give an exact make and model, but I'm sure a bit of googling oughta rectify that problem.

Any help you can give, or advice on how to conduct EVP sessions in more effective ways would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you guys!

Cheers!

[PPI Karl]

Welcome to the forums!
And,
thanks for posting your EVP and your back-story.  I'm looking forward to settling in with your evidence.  I'll try to post a response by mid week.  I'm sure I won't be alone. 

[PPI Marlene]

Nope you are not alone!    I plan on bringing my earbuds to work tomorrow so I can listen to the EVP's as well!

[PPI Karl]

Hi, Gang:

For those checking the forum via the "Recent Posts" thread, this post from TheFriendlyCoast might have slipped onto the 2nd or 3rd pages, so I'm bumping it back up to the top of the list to be sure you all saw it. It has an attached file for us to listen to.

[TheFriendlyCoast]

Thanks so much for taking the time, guys. I really appreciate it, and I'm sure Kelly will, too. Let me know how it comes along for you, and also maybe a slight critique on our session. Do's and don't's sorta thing. Thanks again!

[PPI Marlene]

Hi FriendlyCoast and Kelly:

Overall, I thought you two conducted a really good EVP session.  There were some good questions asked.  As far as the EVP's captured, on my computer at work and through my earbuds, I heard too much white noise to hear anything, although I did hear what sounded like a female voice on the second one you tagged.  I want to use my regular headphones and listen again so will keep you posted. 

This is only my two cents on some ideas for a better EVP session:

1.  Make sure to introduce yourself as you did Kelly. (Maybe you had already done that earlier?)
2.  It was good that you left time in between questions for a possible response.
3.  Make sure to tag any man-made noise (i.e. clearing the throat, etc.)
4.  Do not whisper.  Use a normal tone of voice when talking.  I know for me, I still catch myself whispering at times and have to tag it.   
5.  Be careful about any provoking or name-calling.

Thanks again for posting and hope this helps some! 

[PPI Karl]

I apologize I didn't get to post my responses when I said.  I'm still working on it, though, and I'll have something up by the weekend. 

[TheFriendlyCoast]

Please, take your time! I understand there's a busy schedule for everyone. I just hope you find some good evidence on this thing, as soon as you get the chance to hear it 😊

[PPI Karl]

Thanks!  Hopefully, I'll have something to offer by tomorrow night.

[PPI Karl]

Hello, Friendly Coast:

I agree with all of Marlene's observations.  Likewise, I didn't hear anything articulated enough to stand apart from the white noise, with the possible exception of some sounds deep within the static at 00:02:09:127:  after you state, "Do you not like these little conversations we have?" I hear a very, very faint voice (possibly female or a child's) in the period of twenty seconds that follow.  To me, it could be saying something like "I'm waiting for . . ." but that's really speculative, given how quiet and embedded the phrase is in the white noise.  In fact, the only mention it is that it takes on tones that the surrounding white noise doesn't have.  For that reason, I might have ripped this as a Class C EVP in my audio analysis, but with the following caution:  you mention turning off the TV about three and a half minutes earlier, so I'm thinking it might have been some sort of background sound?  Anyway, whether or not that's actually the case, it's good to pose some alternative explanations for yourself as you assess your audio data, which helps to make your collection of possible evidence more credible later on.

I'm absolutely in agreement with Marlene, too, on the subject of provocation.  While I tend not to believe anything "evil" can be conjured through it, I do think it can work against your goals.  Name-calling might be potentially off-putting for someone or something you're hoping to make contact with, which sends a mixed signal if you're also offering encouragements like "We're just trying to help" and "We just want to get to know you." Another thing to consider is that slang terms and other time-bound vernacular might not be culturally relevant for the entity you're trying to connect with, especially if it's a child.  In a similar vane, try to avoid sounding impatient, disappointed, or bored when you're not getting the results you hoped for.  Remember, you don't know what's happening on the recording, even if it isn't happening in the room with you.  Also, you don't know how much actual effort it's taking an entity to communicate.  (If it were all that easy, we'd be a lot more aware of it happening than we are, right?)  Instead, just continue to do that thing you otherwise do so well in your session: expressing empathy and gratitude for any response. 

Another technique to consider for next time is, taking several minutes just for you and your sister to have a separate, natural conversation where you talk, you laugh, etc. For some reason, we get a lot of good results that way, as if spirits want to be part of the regular interaction, not the interrogation.  Mixing it up with some songs, whistling some tunes, telling some bad jokes, talking about what you're going to have for dinner, and so on--the ordinariness of all that can be almost like setting out bait.  If something's there, you might be shocked at what you'll hear underneath or alongside your own words during an ordinary conversation.  When you're finished, open up the conversation again to the entity, using its topics to invite responses, singing, and so on.
 
By the way, you?re absolutely right in wanting to set ground rules and healthy boundaries. From some of your statements during the EVP vigil, it sounds as if your experiences are causing you some distress emotionally.  The more you can do that as a family-style sit-down, rather than as a set of demands or accusations, the more likely you'll get a positive reaction.  A sternly, but compassionately, expressed, "Please do not scare me, nor emotionally or physically hurt me and others in this house" can go a long way. 

Similarly, I would try to avoid the vocabulary of the paranormal unless you explain along the way what you mean when use certain terms. At one point, you do a really nice job of explaining how your device will help you to hear later on whoever's there.  Try to take the same approach with vocabulary such as "attachment" and "move on."

I can't stress enough the difference that can be made by better equipment if you can afford it, and scrupulous record keeping of sounds in the environment.  Also, it's good practice to drop a recorder in a location outside the room, sync the recording sessions, and use the other audio to corroborate or explain anomalies you hear on playback.  You'd be shocked how often the sounds you're sure are anomalous are actually your recorders mic trying to interpret the soft and far-off sounds made outside or in other parts of the house.  If you repeat your EVP, I recommend putting at least one mic in the kitchen, and perhaps another by a window to see if dogs barking and cars passing coincide with things that sound like EVPs on other mics.   Also, if all the mics catch the same EVP, this is a simple way to triangulate the general location of the source.

All in all, I commend you for taking such a thoughtful approach to gathering EVP.  I think you're well on your way to being very good at this.  I'm attaching a handout we sometimes put out on the tables of our public presentations, called "Coordinating Your First EVP Vigil."  I know it won't be your first time, obviously, but there are some added suggestions in this to help you tailor your questions and make the recording process a more reliable documentation.

I hope this helps you to find what you're looking for.  Let me know if you have any further questions.  We're here to help!   And, to echo Marlene's sentiments, thanks for sharing your data and reaching out to us.

[PPI Marlene]

Great response Karl!!

[TheFriendlyCoast]

Thanks for your reply, Karl! I'm a bit upset you couldn't make out the voice answering my sis about the kitchen, but I fully understand! It took me multiple listens through some intense headphones in dense silence to pick it up. I was hoping to evoke an actual, physical response with my goading, but the only thing we managed to get was a falling piece of paper and a cold spot. As for the tv remark, I'd mentioned I turned it off because at one point, while holding our vigil, we heard a tapping sound coming from the direction of my tv. I debunked it as the tv settling after being on as long as it was. Thanks for pointing out where we went wrong! Definitely watched enough ghost investigation programs to pick up a fair bit, but I've downloaded this pamphlet and hopefully intend on redoing our vigil with better equipment, and a more extensive knowledge. I'll go back and listen for anything else I might've missed. Thanks again, you've both been a grand help!

[PPI Karl]

Our pleasure!  Glad we could help.