How to Use a Computer As an EVP Recorder

By Quinn Marshall

EVP stands for "electronic voice phenomena." It is a term often used by ghost hunters to describe voices picked up during a recording that weren't spoken by any living person. You can purchase a quality recording device created specifically for detecting EVPs, but they are expensive and may be beyond the budget of amateur ghost hunters. Fortunately, you can use your computer, such as a portable laptop, in conjunction with a microphone as an EVP device.

Step 1

Purchase a light, portable laptop if possible. A desktop computer is severely limited in its function as an EVP recorder due to its stationary design; you'll have to set it up in a single spot and hope it detects the audio you need. A light laptop such as a netbook, on the other hand, can be packed up quickly and moved from location to location with minimal effort.

Step 2

Purchase a high-quality microphone, which is the most essential part of any EVP recorder. Ideally you want a bi-directional microphone, which is a microphone that records audio from multiple directions at once. You can use your laptop's built-in microphone if it has one, but you'll pick up noises from inside the computer, such as the spinning fan and hard drive, and will receive poor recordings.

Step 3

Click "Start," then type "Sound Recorder" into the search field. Press "Enter." Windows' native sound recording app will open. Plug the microphone into your computer's "Microphone" or "Line-in" port. Position the microphone wherever you'd like it, then press the red "Record" button on Sound Recorder.

Step 4

Press the "Stop" button on Sound Recorder when you are finished recording. A "Save" window will appear automatically. Enter a descriptive file name, such as "Prison Recording 1_2011 11PM," then click "Save." The audio file will be saved for you to review at a later time, upload to ghost hunting websites or edit using audio editing software.

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