11 replies to this topic

[carlotta]

Hi y'all,

Ron Kolek, our Ghost Village Radio star, suggested that I go leave a cassette recorder running in the cemetary to see what I can catch.

Here are the challenges:
- Noisy roads on the other side of the walls, even in the quieter parts of the cemetary
- Birds chirping (we didn't have any winter this year and the birds are already working full steam)
- Passers'by and gardening vehicles

If I sit quietly next to the recorder, I can at least note all the most obvious external noises that come up.

What if I make up a list of questions, and ask them while the tape is running?

I'm not rich, so I can't afford expensive sound equipment, but are there cheap tricks for keeping the cassette sound as clean as possible?

Would anyone want to help me 'clean up' the tape afterwards (remove the noises made by cars and living people)? I don't have more than a Pentium 1 computer at home, and no internet connection (I cruise the internet only at work, where it's free).

Thanks for any input,

Carlotta

[P.I.P.E.S.]

well first off, do you have a external microphone for your recorder? second is it a tape one, Microcassette, or digital recorder? Most of the time connecting a external microphone will help greatly, because it will cut down mechanical noise that comes from the gears inside the tape recorder. I know some but not all have functions that you can turn on to help reduce noise. A digital recorder is always the way to go, but they can get expensive. I think the cheepest I have seen has been about 34 bucks or so here. And yes you should make up a list of questions to ask them. also keep a notebook with you and write down the times you hear noises and also write down what happens after each question. and how asking each question made you feel, it sounds strange but sometimes when in the pressence of an entity you can get strange or wierd feelings, of either sadness, pain, comfort, or even feel threatend( I have felt all of these and it can be overwelming). that way when you are playing the recording back you will be able to tell what noises came from what, and to help determine what questions were responded too and to ask again or word differently in the future. also I think a tape or microcassette with a external micrphone is the way to go in your case because of your computers speed and capability is extreamly limited because of the pentium 1 processor. with tapes you can play them back yourself with headphones on without the aid of your computer. I guess the only downfall to this is if you wanted to share what you cought it would be a bit more difficult to get them onto your computer. I have a digital voice recorder with a pc link which works exellent but it was about 60 dollars. when useing the external microphone set it and the recorder in a place where it will not be disterbed by either you or something else that way the recording is clean, I made the mistake one time of carrying the recorder with me, and its so good on the highest setting it picked up every move I made and even picked up my hands moving over the recorder which made everything I recorded useless because of all the noise. I think these things will help you pick up everything with little to no noise or distortion.

[carlotta]

P.I.P.E.S.,

Thank you for the great information. I only have a little boom box with a recorder capability, which I didn't want to drag to the cemetary. I'm going to price recorders. Everything is more expensive in France, though, so I may go to the tape recorder to save money.

Despite the fact that digital recorders offer an easy solution for downloading content, how can one be sure that digital recordings are 'clean'? Couldn't previous recordings corrupt new ones? Or would I just use a new memory chip each time? Fresh audio cassettes are cheaper to buy than memory chips.

Should the microphone perhaps have a foam covering to keep out the air movement sounds (do I sound like a total green horn by asking this question)?

Carlotta

[powries]

Hi All:

I think I'll add my .02 worth here.My DVR is an olympus vn-240 no it doesn't have the usb link its no big thing.I bought a double male jack and connected one end to the earphone jack and the other end into the input jack on the computer.I also use Audacity sound program because I'm cheap and it's free,also it works good for me.Total cost vn-240 was $20.00 + Tax at Office Max ,and the double jack cord at Radio Shack was around $3.00 + tax so I got what I needed for under $25.00 bucks and a working sound program for free. Not bad at all ! I hope this help you Carlotta just remember ghost hunting doesn't have to hurt your wallet.

Powries

[carlotta]

I finally got my act together and went to the Pere Lachaise Cemetary yesterday to try for some EVP samples. I might as well have gone to Disneyland. It's a nice place to stroll and there were tons of people clutching their maps, looking for Jim Morrison's grave. The birds were really noisy too. Not that I'm against birds chirping.

While in the US I found a used Panasonic portable tape player with record capabilities. It must be 20 years old but still in good condition. I hope to get a chance to use it... if I can figure out a quiet location that has activity and is easy to get to without a car.

[carlotta]

Hi,

Just an update. I noticed that lots of people have read this discussion, so there must be some interest out there in what's happening in that cemetary.

I haven't returned to the cemetary yet. Does anyone have suggestions about how to tape EVPs in the outdoors, or is it just impossible, given all of the noises that one can't control?

There are little masoleums in which I could sit and run the tape player, as long as I get the feeling that I'm not 'disturbing' anyone. Some of them have a distictly negative feeling that is so strong that I make a wide detour. There are people that sleep in them at night, and maybe even the daytime. Some homeless people keep their pets in them. You can find water dishes and pet beds sometimes.

Just walking through the cemetary can relax me, but also drain my energy. In trying to be 'open' to find a place to take EVPs, I also end up being open to the energy vampires too. Perhaps I'm doing it wrong?

Carlotta

[Pfled]

Does anyone have suggestions about how to tape EVPs in the outdoors, or is it just impossible, given all of the noises that one can't control?

I don't think it is impossible, it's just there can be many distractions. Most of my recordings are outdoors, and I pick up birds, road noise, bugs flying by...etc. Most of the UAP (shamelessly stolen from Ron) I have recorded I compare to all the other background noises I have heard throughout the recording to ensure it is an uncommon sound.

To me the most annoying, uncontrollable, problem with recording outdoors is wind. It tends to garble the recording and really takes over as the primary sound. I have remedied this by wrapping the microphone in a tube sock. It helps a bit, not completely though.

-Pfled

[axlfoley]

One of my friends told me this is where Jim Morrison is buried. Maybe you should do an EVP by his grave.

[Lizard King]

One of my friends told me this is where Jim Morrison is buried. Maybe you should do an EVP by his grave.

Wow, your friend must really know her rock and roll, who's Jim Morrison anyway?




TLK

[axlfoley]

hi Lizard King...Jim Morrison is the hot looking guy in your avatar, right?...lol... Have there been any sightings of Jim?

[Lizard King]

hi Lizard King...Jim Morrison is the hot looking guy in your avatar, right?...lol... Have there been any sightings of Jim?

In the wake of the infamous Miami trails one may wonder if Mr Mojo Risin is really buried there in France, or if it was a plot to fake his death. Of course there are rumors of his grave site being haunted by the specter of a leather clad apparition as this picture hints.




TLK

Edited by Lizard King, 13 January 2008 - 11:38 AM.

[Tantric Kitten]

One of my friends told me this is where Jim Morrison is buried. Maybe you should do an EVP by his grave.

I don't think she's getting to do one by Jim Morrison's grave. There are so many people hanging around causing trouble that they have a permanent gendarme post right there by his grave. She'd probably be shooed off after a while... and, of course, the problem of people hanging around making noise ALL THE TIME.

I should look through my pictures of Pere LaChaise. There were a couple places that I felt like someone was in there and they might be somewhere that could get some activity. I never went over to the big mausoleums... I only had a morning and the place is HUGE... and I've never had a chance to go back when I've been in Paris since.

Pere LaChaise has to be THE most amazing cemetery I've ever been in. It's truly unique and it's beautiful... whether you're into the paranormal or art or parks or what.

Edited by Tantric Kitten, 13 January 2008 - 01:49 PM.