EVP
Classification
Back to: EVP
Learn about classification of different types of EVP.
EVP
classification, or classifying electronic voice phenomena varies,
as different EVP classification scales are used by ghost investigation
groups.
EVP are ghostly voices recorded from typically within
a haunted environment, and are not usually audibly heard during the
EVP recording session. It is important to first understand that there are different qualities
of ghostly voices, thus an EVP classification scale is important.
Sarah Estep founder of AA-EVP designed the Estep EVP Classification
system:
Classification A
EVP:
"A clear and distinct voice or sound that is
universally accepted and undisputed, because it must be understood by anyone
with normal hearing and without being told or prompted to what is being said or
heard. It can be heard without the use of headphones."
Classification B EVP:
"A voice or sound that is distinct and fairly loud. This class of voice is
more common and can be heard by most people after being told what to listen for.
It is usually audible to experienced persons who have learned the skill of
listening to EVP. It can sometimes be heard without the use of
headphones."
Classification C EVP:
"A faint and whispery voice or sound that can barely be heard and
is sometimes indecipherable and unintelligible. It may have paranormal
characteristics, such as a mechanical sound. Most investigators would apply
objectivity and disregard it, but may save it for reference
purposes."
Strange Happenings Ghost and Hauntings
Research Society also came up with their version of EVP classification which
gives even better break down of the EVPs recorded. They chose to break
down the EVP classification by type, level, and response clarification.
Let us begin by listing the:
Classes:
Class DC
(direct communication): The ghost voice clearly answers a question
or directly responds to something said.
Class PC
(personal communication): The ghost voice clearly says something meaningful
directly to someone present.
Class RC (random
communication): A ghost voice that answers no direct question, does not appear
to be aimed at any particular person and doesn't make sense in the context it
was receive.
Levels:
Level
1: Loud, clear and easy to understand...sounds like natural speech
(including whispers and fast speech).
Level 2: Lower
volume and the voice is warped, but still discernable.
Level
3: Very low volume, hard to understand and excessively
warped.
Categories:
Morph: The
voice and/or words of someone who is speaking is changed into something
else in the playback of the recording. Words that are different than the
person who spoke, or one voice changing to another,
etc.
ERV (event related voices): Events such as someone
talking or coughing, or the sounds of a passing train or car, etc. seems to
trigger the EVP.
TR (thread related): One utterance is a
comment on, or a response to, an utterance just before. They are related
by contextual thread. Examples would be hearing two or more voices talking
to each other, as well as a voice responding to something previously said by
itself and/or someone or something else.
CHR (chorale):
Two or more voices speaking at the same time, either saying the same thing or
something different.
Other Information regarding EVP
classification:
The AA-EVP found that most EVP messages are recorded
more frequently in the evening and/or during stormy weather (best times for ghost
hunting). Most EVP messages are typically short in
length, preceded by a click or thud sound, are usually in the language of the
experimenter being delivered in a single voice (male or female), and exhibit a
frequency shift different from the normal human voice frequency range.
