GhostScope Using the EVP recorder during a ghost hunt
Start a hunt on the EMF Meter first: any EVP recording you make while it runs is logged as an event in that hunt automatically. Then use Playback Rate or ½x and Play to listen back slowly. To keep the audio, export it as .m4a before leaving the screen (a Pro feature).
What is EVP, and what does an EVP recorder do?
EVP stands for electronic voice phenomena: sounds on a recording that some listeners hear as voices nobody noticed at the time. An EVP recorder is simply an audio recorder you leave running during a quiet session, then review closely afterwards.
GhostScope's EVP Recorder records the iPhone microphone to a mono audio file on the device. It sets the audio session to measurement mode, which turns off the voice processing iOS normally applies to calls. No added gain, no special sensitivity: it is your phone's microphone, recorded plainly. A ticking clock recorded this way stays clean and audible on playback, since the app isn't doing anything clever to the sound.
How to record EVP on iPhone, step by step
- Open GhostScope and tap the EVP Recorder tile (subtitle Capture voices).
- If you are running a hunt on the EMF Meter, keep it running: the recording is then added to that hunt as an EVP Recording event.
- Put the phone on a still surface, microphone uncovered. The screen shows Press record to capture.
- Tap the record button. The first time, iOS asks for the microphone; allow it. The screen shows Recording EVP…, a timer and a ring that follows the sound level.
- Ask one short question, then stay silent for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat.
- Tap the button again to stop. You see Recording saved.
- Move the Playback Rate slider or tap ½x, then tap Play. Tap Stop to end playback.
- Pro: tap Export recording (m4a) to save it to Files, AirDrop it or send it. Otherwise tap Delete recording when you are done.
Reading the level ring
The ring around the button shows loudness, updated ten times a second, from −60 dB (empty) to 0 dB (full). A quiet room keeps it near empty; a sudden spike in the ring means a sound worth checking on playback.
| Average level | Ring filled |
|---|---|
| −60 dB or quieter | Empty |
| −45 dB | A quarter |
| −30 dB | Half |
| −12 dB | 80% |
| 0 dB | Full |
Playing it back slowed down
Many EVP hunters listen at reduced speed. Playback Rate goes from 0.25× to 2.00× in steps of 0.25, and ½x jumps to half speed. Slowing down also stretches time: a 10-second clip lasts 20 seconds at ½x and 40 seconds at 0.25×.
Be honest with yourself here. Slowed, noisy audio is exactly where the brain finds words that are not there, a thing called auditory pareidolia. Plenty of people have reported hearing their own name in a recording of a fan running. If a group listens, have each person write down what they hear before anyone says it aloud.
How to capture EVP with fewer false positives
- Choose the quietest room you can and turn off fans and air conditioning.
- Keep the phone still on a table; handling noise sounds like whispers.
- Say aloud any noise you make, such as a cough, a creak or a car outside, so you recognise it later.
- Leave long silences. Most of the recording should be nobody speaking.
- Start a hunt on the EMF Meter first, so the Hunt Log shows when you recorded next to the EMF readings.
Free limit and keeping your recordings
Free users get one EVP recording per calendar day. After that, the record button opens the Pro screen and Watch ad — get 1 extra session appears; each ad watched gives one more. Pro removes the limit.
The recorder only keeps the latest recording, and only while you stay on the EVP screen. The Hunt Log notes that an EVP was made but does not store the audio, and there is no list of old recordings. If you want to keep one, export it with Export recording (m4a) before you go back. Free users see Export recording (m4a) — Pro, which opens the upgrade screen.
Questions and answers
Can I record EVP with my phone?
How does an EVP recorder work?
Where are my EVP recordings saved?
Is the GhostScope recorder more sensitive than the Voice Memos app?
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