A cochlear implant electrode is described. A basal electrode lead carrieselectrical stimulation signals from an implanthousing to a cochleostomy opening, and a portion of the electrode lead has aperiodically recurring lead shape. An apicalelectrode array at the cochleostomy end of the electrode lead passes into acochlea scala and includes electrode contacts for applyingthe electrical stimulation signals to target neural tissue. A portion of theelectrode array has a periodically recurring arrayshape different from the lead shape.
