Recording paranormal research: Audio, video and notes

1. Audio recordings: The backbone of documentation

Audio is often the most productive form of evidence in paranormal investigation. Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) are voices or sounds that appear on recordings but were not heard by the human ear during the investigation.

• EVP sessions: Use a high-quality digital voice recorder for active sessions. Ask short, clear questions and allow at least 10 to 15 seconds of silence after each question. This gives any entity time to respond without you talking over it.
• Capturing the environment: Besides your active sessions, also keep a recorder running continuously in a central location. This serves as 'ambient audio'. If later on another camera a strange thump is heard, you can use this recorder to check whether the sound came from inside or outside.

2. Video recording: More than just hunting 'ghosts'

Many beginner investigators hope to capture a shadow or a moving object on video. Although that is the 'holy grail', video in a responsible investigation mainly serves as a guardian of context.

• Static cameras: Place cameras on tripods in the rooms where most activity is reported. Aim them at the set-up equipment, such as a K2 meter or an EDI+ Multi-meter. If the meter spikes, you want to be able to see on video if someone was nearby at that moment who could have accidentally influenced the meter.
• Night vision and Full Spectrum: Because many investigations take place in the dark, infrared or full spectrum lighting is indispensable. It captures details that the human eye misses, such as fine dust particles (often confused with orbs) or subtle movements of shadows.

Video documentation serves as the visual check of your investigation. It allows you to verify afterwards whether the movements or sounds you recorded were not simply the result of a team member not adhering to the codes of conduct during an investigation.

3. The logbook: The glue between your data

Without a logbook, your audio and video files are just loose fragments. A logbook brings structure. Note the exact time of each observation (synchronized with your recorders).

• What do you note?
• When a team member leaves or enters a room.
• Ambient sounds (airplanes, neighbors, hissing pipes).
• Personal experiences: "I got cold at 11:15 PM."
• Why? If you later analyze your audio and hear a strange sound at 11:15 PM, you can check your logbook to see if that coincided with your team member's cold experience or if a car happened to drive by the street at that moment.

4. Use of active measuring equipment as evidence

Besides image and sound, your meters provide quantitative data. Devices such as the R2229L Spirit Box or the Rem Pod generate data that you must record.

• The Spirit Box session: Always record these sessions with an external recorder. The built-in speakers of a Spirit Box can sometimes cause distortion; by listening back to the audio later through headphones, you can better distinguish voices from radio static (white noise).

Meters in view: Make sure your visual meters, such as the K2 emf meter, are always in the sight of a camera. A spiking meter is only evidence if you can prove that no mobile phone or other interference source was in the immediate vicinity.

5. Synchronization and backup

A common mistake is that the clock of the camera, the recorder, and the logbook keeper's watch are not synchronized.

• Tip: Clap your hands loudly at the start of the investigation for the running cameras and recorders. This creates a peak in the audio waveforms that you can use in the editing phase to perfectly align all files.

Also ensure sufficient storage capacity. Use fast SD cards and bring extra batteries. Nothing is as frustrating as documentation stopping halfway because the technology lets you down.

Checklist for watertight documentation:

• Are all clocks on the equipment synchronized?
• Is a fixed logbook keeper assigned?
• Are the recorders on a stable surface (no hand noise)?
• Are all memory cards formatted and empty before departure?
• Is there a backup plan for dead batteries?

Summary

Recording an investigation is a discipline in itself. By interweaving audio, video, and a detailed logbook, you create a dataset that you can objectively analyze afterwards. Documentation is the bridge between a "scary experience" and a "paranormal investigation result." Recording data is a crucial step in the process. Want to see how documentation connects to preparation or the final analysis? Then check out our complete guide on paranormal investigation in practice for a comprehensive overview of our approach."

Next step: The analysis Have you collected hours of video and audio material? Then the hardest work begins: the analysis. Read in our next article how to analyze and interpret paranormal data.