Welcome to Fractalstudios

Chode Band Page

                               About the Chode albums

     Chode was the first bands I recorded.  The name was a word my friends and I made up in the 80s.  We would call each other a Chode in grade school.   If it meant anything it meant Smart, or Dumb Ass.  Later we found the word in the Urban Dictionary, it was antiquated to slang of a body part.   It's Oxford definition is a past tense of (chide); scold.

    The word was as unique as the stile of music that was produced by the band.  Over effected instruments, keys and drums, and experimental sounds are what we recorded on tape.  Then we would occasionally overlay sound samples from late night tv, and or other samples over the music(noise).  I would record these late night tv samples on cassette and play them threw pedals and re record them.  I had a Fostex 4 track, Mike Had a Tascam 4 track, all the mixes were then mixed down to another cassette tape. Making full on wall of noise "Soundscapes".  Chode's Soundscapes!

  The lineup  was ever revolving, and was whoever was around to jam and record at the time.    We always had Mike helping me out.  He'd be doing a lot of the instrumentation, that was mike always playing something, and some recording.  I would play keys drony and over effected, and some drums.   We were just there to enjoyed jamming and making whatever sounds would fit over each other or it would clash and be very noisy.  It was a lot of fun recording these "Soundscapes".     

Chode 1           

CA    The first Chode album (1999- 2003) was one of the first things I recorded on a Fostex 4 track, mike had A tascam porta one Ministudio.  the first one album was just Mike and I.  It was recorded at the house in Columbus.  There were a few soundscape tracks on that one.  The first one was more experimental, towards the end of the record.  Vocals were recorded with a Sure 58 and Radio Shack microphones.  These last few tracks had kind of jazz noise, and vocals were recorded forward and backwards.     Many years later, I loaned one of the only copies I had, of the first albums.  I loaned it to a DJ at Oberlin college.  That's where it resides.  It was lost for a while.. and only a couple are out there!  We will defiantly add it to the collection, and be re-releasing it with the second album on one disk.  The New Chode 1 has 9 tracks and is loaded with the full second album that was partly made for cassette fest.

Chode 2          

    The second album was  originally recorded as a short EP I made for WCSB Cassette fest, as FractalStudios first entry, the Chode entry. (Cleveland State Radio station) It only had a few songs on it including Necrosis.  A tribute to Sam, Bruce, and H.P. Lovecraft.  It got played, but the next years entry Fractalstudios the Punk EP would get people talking.  More mixed down tape soundscapes were added from mike's Portastudio 4 track, to make this EP.    These recordings were strictly More soundscape stile of tracks like the first one with more instrumentation.  It was more cassette recorded like the first album. Chode 2 originally was a continuation of the first album. One of the soundscapes turned into Necroses from the first album, that was put on the WCSB cassette.  I found extra songs I put on the second album as well.  The new first album consists of 10+ songs.  They consisted more of that tape sound.  Chode 2 witch later was Chode 3 Empyrian the CD version. The orignal 2nd album chode 2 was self titled Chode and had a 5 or 6 songs.   This album includes  one of Chode's famous soundscapes Necrosis, and Gallery of his dreams pt2.  These songs are sample based Soundscapes, made on cassette.  These songs were what made me want to record and started the recording at FractalStudios.  These songs introduced me into recording, and taught me how to structure songs.  This was the start of what I do Here at FractalStudios.         

The third Chode album  was Empryan..   

Dictionary definition of Empyrean an old English word meaning: The highest reaches of heaven,the abode of God being a realm of Pure Fire. 

 EMPYREAN is an album of some of Fractal Studios earliest recordings.   Most of the album was recorded in the late 90's before the conception of Fractal Studios.  I made a CD version of the album and it had later songs of Chode 3 on it.     

          Chode 3 Empyrian CD

   The third  album was the CD version of Empyrian.  It was recorded, more on a computer, than the previous albums.   Each track's stile changes due to the change of the lineup, and a change in the instruments each member plays, as well as; the stiles of music that it's created for.  This album had more metal and rock and had actual music songs,  rather than the noisy soundscapes of the other albums.  The recordings of the third album are what led to the making of the Punk EP, Fractal and more.   
    Most songs were recorded using a cheap single speed 4 track. But it was all mixed down on an old 200 mhz Pentium pro.  For the mix downs and other effects Cool Edit pro was used.  A Yamaha 12 track mixer, was added as studio equipment as well as; many more various types of Radio Shack microphones, and some Nady mikes.  We also used other various guitar stomp pedals.  Thus giving it it's fuzzed, surreal, and out of tune, flat instruments sounds.  Keyboards and samples were put threw the effects as well.  This stuff was the start of me learning how to make songs and have fun recording.  I had a blast recording these. 

Honorable Mentions to Giggles, Scotty, Brian M, Matt M, The early gang, and many others who Jammed in the Basement, if you hung out you all got recorded.  Like always it was so much fun and it was special times!          

   As always thanks for looking and enjoy.    Click on image to go to Chode's music page!

                                          Chode 2 Empyrean                                                              New Chode album 1