Looking for Skeptics - Continuation (Cassidy's EVP/diamond damage claim)

[Mojo]

1. CLAIM:


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2. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT :
a) 1 PC
b) 1 Metronome
c) 1 Tone Generator
d) Sound-proof room
=====================
3. Method
a) Using a Samsung PC Laptop, and using the built-in microphone and "Sound Recorder" software, I shall make a recording of both the instruments playing simultaneously.

b) On playback (using external speakers) both noises from the instruments should be heard at the beginning of the recording. Within 4/5 seconds into the recording, the noise from the tone generator will (if successful) disappear from the recording, leaving just the ticking of the metronome behind.
======================

You'll also need a notch filter.

 

[jond]

Oh, I'm sure that's true. But if it were set up as I've said, with the tone generator and metronome, then they should be loud enough to make most background noises irrelevant, barring something like construction work next door or things close to the mic itself.

One would hope, but the setup would be critical, and I don't think Cassidy could manage that alone.

The lead vocals not being present while the backing vocals remain sounds like polarity reversal. A compressor wouldn't do that. But, if it's an actual mono signal, then it would be impossible to remove the vocals through polarity reversal, and I can't think of any way for it to happen spontaneously and consistently in the middle of a note and not thereafter.

The other factor is that I think the built in mic might be some sort of stereo mic, though I'm not sure. Also, I suspect that what she thinks she's hearing isn't what's actually happening--I don't for a moment believe that the lead vox are disappearing while the bg vox remain. We haven't heard the recording in question, and I'm not prepared to take her word for it.

Don't get me wrong - I don't think we're going to get anywhere with this. I also don't think that Cassidy is necessarily reporting what she's heard completely accurately, either. But she is determined to take on the MDC and, as such, I don't see any reason not to help her work out a specific claim that can be objectively tested, and to work out a protocol that could be used to test that claim.

Things like it potentially not working in a quiet environment are why I've emphasised to her that she must test everything beforehand in the environment in which the actual test is going to take place.

I know and I agree, which is why I'm bringing this issue to the table, because I think it may have a lot to do with what she's hearing. Nothing is going to change her mind about spirits, but it strikes me that the methodology by which she's recording is going to generate all kinds of audio anomalies. I think your efforts are well intended, but require someone with considerably more knowledge of audio and computers than Cassidy to properly test. And given what everyone went through before, let's just say I'm skeptical that it'll happen...

 

[Cassidy]

Cassidy, will you still attach that zip file containing your clearest example file with the journalist to a post?
Thanks.

I just tried to upload "A Lovely Day" but it's 250.9kb. Here's one of the Journalist's recordng.

My hum was not loud but it went loud then faded off.
Using a straight tone, it stops dead (No fading)

 

[Daylightstar]

Well, then, can you please clarify exactly what you mean by "self evident of something outside the measure of science"?
...

That it is not self evident that a 'positive result' in your scenario would be a paranormal occurrence which science can not measure.
You stated that a positive result in your scenario in extension to Cassidy's claim would be a paranormal claim, thus worthy of a million dollars.
Such a result being of paranormal nature is not self evident. You believe it to be, but that would not be enough.

...
Look, I really, genuinely want help with this protocol. If there are actual flaws in it, then I want them eliminated. I was not being combative above when I asked you to be specific about what exactly you're proposing. You could help me, and I would very much appreciate it if you did. At the moment, though, you're just kind of going "stuff could happen that would invalidate the test", "what kind of stuff?", "y'know, stuff", which isn't particularly helpful.

So, please, rather than trying to score a cheap "gotcha" by highlighting the word "spirits" and ignoring the rest of the four paragraphs that give the context to that use of the word, actually say what controls you think there should be, what they would be controlling for, and how you think they should be implemented. You think my proposed protocol is broken. Fine. Please help me to fix it, then.

I am pretty certain that you want to help a protocol getting off the ground, in fact, I really have no doubt about it.
What I think, and I have said it clearly stated this, is that I think your protocol lacks controls.
I have given suggestions, do you reject those suggestions?

 

[Daylightstar]

Pour a couple of whiskies into your computer, and you'll most likely see an effect.

I also think there will be a sound as well and it suddenly stopping. Perhaps even fading out

 

[jond]

I just tried to upload "A Lovely Day" but it's 250.9kb. Here's one of the Journalist's recordng.

My hum was not loud but it went loud then faded off.
Using a straight tone, it stops dead (No fading)

Can't play your file, nor can I import it into Logic. But I suspect it's the compressor messing with the levels. The hum won't remain at a constant level because the compressor is constantly changing to account for all the other noises going on.

 

[Cassidy]

A recording just made - 15 seconds of 60hz (from start to end)

 

[Daylightstar]

I just tried to upload "A Lovely Day" but it's 250.9kb. Here's one of the Journalist's recordng.

My hum was not loud but it went loud then faded off.
Using a straight tone, it stops dead (No fading)

Well done, thank you.
Could you describe in detail what we're hearing here? What you described earlier:

... The journalist spoke as the other noise faded out, ...

does not appear to match, perhaps because that description was not based on this file.

 

[Cassidy]

Well done, thank you.
Could you describe in detail what we're hearing here? What you described earlier:

does not appear to match, perhaps because that description was not based on this file.

As already stated, I hummed quietly throughout the recording as the journalist recited "Testing 1-2" The hum distorted and faded out, leaving the journalist's voice remaiming.

 

[Slowvehicle]

A recording just made - 15 seconds of 60hz (from start to end)

Cool. Now, where is the original, unaltered file?

 

[Daylightstar]

A recording just made - 15 seconds of 60hz (from start to end)

What are we hearing here?

 

[Cassidy]

Cool. Now, where is the original, unaltered file?

It plays out the same. I recorded it and added it to a zip file.

 

[Cassidy]

It plays out the same. I recorded it and added it to a zip file.

Ohhh wait, you think I tampered with it?

 

[Cassidy]

What are we hearing here?

A recording just made - 15 seconds of 60hz (from start to end)

 

[Daylightstar]

A recording just made - 15 seconds of 60hz (from start to end)

Right.
What else can you say about the recording? What is it's significance according to you?

 

[Daylightstar]

What did you use to make that recording, Cassidy?

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

I just tried to upload "A Lovely Day" but it's 250.9kb. Here's one of the Journalist's recordng.

My hum was not loud but it went loud then faded off.
Using a straight tone, it stops dead (No fading)

I've not got time to go into anything else here, but that sounds like a high-pass filter being incrementally applied. My best guess is some kind of automated bass-attenuation algorithm which is perhaps malfunctioning. It's difficult to say more without knowing more exact details about your set-up.

 

[Daylightstar]

As already stated, I hummed quietly throughout the recording as the journalist recited "Testing 1-2" The hum distorted and faded out, leaving the journalist's voice remaiming.

What you should do is make a similar recording and make another one with different recording hardware.
Your journalist contact may himself or one of his colleagues have a portable audio recorder, you could ask him to make a simultaneous recording while you use your material to record.

Did Mr Taylor perhaps actually make a recording himself?

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

A recording just made - 15 seconds of 60hz (from start to end)

Same thing again. The reason it disappears completely while a human voice would remain is because a human voice has frequencies that are far above 60Hz. The human voice doesn't really start having much energy to it until it's an octave above that tone, and it can only really reach down to about 5 semitones above it at all. The human speaking voice can typically be an octave and a half above 60Hz, so it's entirely to be expected that a filter which removes 60Hz will not remove a human voice.

That's what's happening - the lower frequencies are disappearing for some reason. My first thought, as I said above, is that this is some kind of bass-attenuation which in which a HPF being applied too judiciously, but I can't do anything more than give a WAG without more information and I won't have much time over the next few days.

 

[abaddon]

Our own brains will also filter out a constant noise after a while.

Ha!. Next street over from the back of my house, there is a protestant church. Every Sunday morning, they ring the bell for something approaching an hour. Recently, a friend called over at that time and asked "Do they ring that bell everyday, or just Sundays?" I answered "What bell?".

Decades of hearing it had rendered me entirely unconscious of it.