Bryan Lay

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With as many local bands as chain restaurants per capita, Knoxville’s need for recording services has prompted a rise in self-made recording professionals. Postman-by-day Bryan Lay is one such sound engineer on the rise. Having recorded bands both large and small, Lay has moved his operation out of the typical studio confines.

Lay, who rents a studio at Radioactive Recording in Oak Ridge, has provided standard recording work for a number of area bands, but given his druthers, he prefers to experiment with different atmospheres that ultimately create unique sounding products. In his work with Brendan James Wright and the Wrongs, Lay recorded the band’s 2007 release in a remote farmhouse. As Lay says, the recording atmosphere is crucial to convey the appropriate mood on the finished product.

“The studio is more laid back and a completely different process,” Lay says. “But the vibe of the recording doesn’t go away when you stop recording. When you start the mix process as an engineer, you continue the mood. It’s all a state of mind, and the state you are in when you mix down the CD is very important.”

To best capitalize on the vibe of those he records, Lay established himself as a prominent live recorder this year. He provided live audio recording services for this year’s full run of Sundown in the City concerts. Recording each of the headliners, he expanded his repertoire to include a gamut of musical genres. The recordings are used in videos posted to the event’s Web site, but typically such live recordings are used by the artists for demo purposes. While he has recorded many big names from across the country, Lay’s main interest is still the promotion of Knoxville artists.

“I started recording live audio just this year,” Lay says. “It’s not much different from studio stuff, except no one gets a second chance. It’s much faster. The recording is over in an hour and a half and then you start mixing. There’s a lot of bleed-over from the stage mics, and you have to learn to make the best of a bad situation, but you have the opportunity to work with more artists in a short amount of time. Theoretically I can record and mix a different band every week. This year I’ve done everything from rock to country to salsa music, you name it.”

Having played in and been influenced mostly by rock acts, Lay’s specialty is creating dense soundscapes and adding a sharp “kick” to any style he records and mixes. With Knoxville’s most notable import being Americana, Lay has developed a love for the style he sees on the verge of explosion.

“I know for a fact that Knoxville has one of the most happening music scenes with as much talent as any city in the country,” says Lay. “I feel fortunate to be in the position I’m in recording music in a town with so much talent. You can go anywhere in Knoxville and find a great band to record and turn out a great product.”

For more on Lay’s recordings visit www.myspace.com/bryanlayrecordings.

n LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER: Papermoons join Gamenight and Pots and Chains for a show at Pilot Light Saturday night. Admission is $5, and the show is slated for 10 p.m.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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