Welcome to Fractalstudios

Chode Band Page

                               About the Chode albums

     Chode was the first Recordings I ever did.  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 "Dreamscapes".  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 "Dreamscapes".     

Chode 1           

CA    The first Chode album Al-Azif (1999- 2003) was one of the first things I recorded on a Fostex 4 track, mike had A Tascam Porta studio.  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 recording.  Vocals were recorded with a Sure 58 and Radio Shack microphones.  These last few tracks had kind of experimental jazz noise, and vocals on loop.  These samples were recorded forward and backwards.     Many years later, I loaned one of the only copies I had, of Al-Azif album.  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.  The New Chode AlAzif has 9 tracks and is loaded with the full wall of noise Dreamscapes, sounds and vocal tracks of from the Chode project.  

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.  The tracks had more mixed down tape soundscapes that were from mike's Portastudio 4 track, to make this EP.  Chode 2 was self titled and had originally 4 songs. These recordings were strictly More soundscape stile of tracks like the beginning of the the first album with more instrumentation.  It was more cassette recordings like the first album. Chode 2 originally was a continuation of the dreamscapes from the first album that was sent to CSB Cassette fest.  The New version of the album has 8 songs, and all recorded and mixed down on cassette.  These songs are sample based Soundscapes, made on cassette with heavily effected keys samples dreamy cassette reverb and reversed.  These songs introduced me into recording, and taught me how to structure songs, and audio.  This was the start of what I wanted to 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 00's before the conception of Fractal Studios.      

          Chode 3 Empyrian CD

 Chode 3 Empyrian was the first CD I ever made.   It's the 3rd and final album in the Chode saga.  This album was recorded Threw a Yamaha mixer into a Emu sound card.  This album was heaver and had more structured songs.  Some of these songs were edited on the computer using Cool Edit witch now is Adobe Audition. These were some of the first songs that were recorded and brought me into computer recording.  I had such a blast recording this album, these were the start of something new, synthesizers.  This is when I fully got into synths, and wanted to learn everything about recording, and making songs.  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, Mike 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 album music page!

                                          Chode 3 Empyrean                                                              New Chode album 1

                                                                                                                                  Chode 2nd Album