Hello! My name is Kyle and I am a session drummer, producer, and engineer based out of Nashville, TN.
I will record high quality drum tracks from my home studio for your song! All I need is an mp3 or wav of your song with any instruction and I will deliver tracks to you within a few short days! Recording to a metronome is preferred, but if not I will still play my best to bring your song to the next level! I play on many sessions and tour professionally. I have appeared on Good Morning America, The TODAY show, CMT's Hot 20 Countdown, Pickler and Ben, and many more.
I can also remotely mix, edit and master any song or podcast. I mix with Neumann, Dangerous Music, Lynx., Universal Audio, Waves, and Soundtoys gear.
Drums:
Gretsch Broadkaster Drum Kit
Gretsch USA Custom Kit
Craviotto Ash Snare (the go-to snare)
Ludwig Black Beauty Snare (the other go-to snare)
Ludwig Acrolite Snare (classic dry sound)
Pearl Masters Maple Snare (super low & dead for the perfect "buzz" sound)
Gretsch Maple Snare w/ Walnut Hoops (awesome "crack" for pop/country)
Vintage Wood-hooped snare (dirty, wide open ring)
Over 2 dozen Meinl Cymbal options
Mics:
1. Kick in (sE electronic vKick)
2. Kick out (miktek c7e)
3. Snare Top (sE v7)
4. Snare Top (sE8)
5. Snare btm (sE8)
6. hat (akg451)
7. tom 1 (414 b-uls)
8. tom 2 (414 b-uls)
9. tom 3 (414 b-uls)
10. Overheads (miktek c5s)
11. Close Rooms (Coles 4038s)
12. Far Rooms (ksm141s)
Send me a note through the contact button above.
Credits
- Billy Ray Cyrus
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Brandon Lay
- Adam Sanders
- Abby Anderson
- Michael Ray
- Jimmie Allen
- Old Dominion
- Carlton Anderson
- Runaway June
- Matt Stell
- Kaleb Lee
- Clay Walker
- Lynryd Skynryd
- Levi Hummon
- Walker Hayes
- Maddie & Tae
- Willie Jones
- Amanda Jordan
- Lindsay Ell
- Kelsey Lamb
- CB30
- Thomas Day
- Halle Kearns
- Tyler Braden
- Derek Austin
- David Morris
- Carter Faith
159 Reviews - 37 Repeat Clients
Endorse Kyle May
check_circleVerifiedKyle is a KILLER drummer - always gives me and my artists high quality tracks. Highly advice you to work with him!
check_circleVerifiedI can't say enough about Kyle's quality, timeliness, helpfulness, and professionalism. I'm huge on punctuality and detail, and it can be hard to find musicians who value those things on top of just their musicianship. Kyle has been a pleasure to work with and has not only given me the best real drum sounds I've ever used in my production work, but he's done so in a way that has made things seamless, easy, and fun. I've got full trust in him on drums for my business moving forward.
check_circleVerifiedKyle is a Music Genius.
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My Second Song with Kyle.
Always very professional, fast and excellent work quality.
Kyle, I will be back. 
check_circleVerifiedbest drummer ever
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Kyle KILLED some drums for me. He is extremely efficient and an awesome communicator. Work with him!!!
check_circleVerifiedKyle May = Roger Taylor meets Stephen Perkins meets whatever drums you thought you needed on your songs, but better!
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BEST BEST BEST
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Wow, Kyle was wonderful. First of all, the sounds he is able to get out of his kit and recording set up are some of the best I have heard. I've been looking for a drummer who can get radio-ready sounds out the gate, and Kyle is that guy. On top of that, he was highly professional and speedy. Will 100% be coming back to Kyle for future drum needs, and you should as well!
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Kyle is always does great and tasteful work--plays to the song and, at the same time, elevates it.
check_circleVerifiedKyle is the best! Amazing feel, highest musicianship, professional recording. No one better. Thanks Kyle!
check_circleVerifiedAlways a pleasure working with Kyle! Very fast turnaround and always achieves exactly what I am looking for.
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Kyle composed a drum track for a song cover I was working on, and I was amazed by his work! He was timely, highly skilled and incredibly thorough. I hope that I get to work with him again. Keep it up mate!
check_circleVerifiedAnother song with Kyle. Great work!
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Another great experience with Kyle. He's such a great communicator!
check_circleVerifiedKyle knocks it out of the park. Every time!
check_circleVerifiedKyle did another great job laying down drums on a track of mine - highly recommended to all! Thanks Kyle!
check_circleVerifiedFast, professional, great respect, I am grateful.
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BEST
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BEST
Interview with Kyle May
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. No explanation. This is the world we live in.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That they'll be 100% satisfied. I can back it up too with every review and money back guarantee as well as my flexibility when it comes to revisions
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: That it's different every day.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: They ask how many tracks they'll get. Its typically around 12-16 tracks. I have a mic or 2 on every drum, 2 pairs of overheads in different configurations as well as room mics and I'll print my drum bus compression so they can use it if they like.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That I'm rich.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I typically ask for references so that I can have a clearer understanding of their background and what they're looking for.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Neumann KH120's, Apogee Duet, MacbookPro, and a U87.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: My style comprises new music that I love to listen to mixed with what I grew up on from Jazz to Soul to Soft Rock.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I've always been a fan of John Legend
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Get your mix to the best spot it can be, then treat that best mix as if you were starting from scratch and improve from their.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Country, Pop, Singer/Songwriter
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Communication and timeliness. Professionalism is nothing without being punctual.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Familiarity. Artists always have an idea of what they're looking for even if they can't describe it and I try to find that reference and make it feel like it's their own.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I currently have a Protools rig with all UAD, Soundtoys, Native Instrument Komplete Ultimate and WAVEs plugins. My mics include shure condensers, coles, akg, and neumann products. My drums are a USA custom kit from Gretsch with an assortment of snare drums from Craviotto, Gretsch, Pearl, and Ludwig.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm really inspired by drummers like Aaron Sterling, Jerry Roe, Paul Mabury, Nir Z, and Chris McHugh. My producer inspirations are Busbee, Jay Joyce, and Dann Huff.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I am working on sampling all of my drums. They'll be released in a package for use with Trigger, Native Instruments, Logic and ProTools samplers and many more. I'm really excited because we got to do some of it at The Tracking Room Studio in Nashville that is going to be torn down soon. It's one of the best rooms in town and I'm so grateful to have recorded so many amazing sounds there.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm cutting drums on a few projects that I recorded from my home studio and it'll be exciting to hear them on the radio.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Just be as clear and concise as possible in terms of what you need from me! I'm very flexible and always willing to work until you're happy.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been playing drums and producing for at least a decade now. I've been on the road with Billy Ray Cyrus for a bit now and have recorded on many demos for artists like Michael Ray, Adam Sanders, April Kry, and many more.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I usually import the song, chart it, lay out markers, and then figure out what type of feel the artist or producer is going for. Then I'll choose my snare drum and cymbals and start tracking.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Most of my work is recording drums for demo sessions. My other income is producing demo sessions for songwriters and publishing houses.
I was the writer/drummer/producer in this production
- Live drum trackAverage price - $200 per song
- ProducerAverage price - $3000 per song
- Podcast Editing & MasteringAverage price - $500 per podcast
- Vocal TuningAverage price - $100 per track
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $300 per song
Drums: Almost unlimited revisions. Fast turn around.
Producing: Minimal revisions. Fast turn around.
Mixing: 1 revision (½ rate per revision after 1) Fast turn around.
- API 2500
- API 5500
- Tube Mics
- Ribbon Mics
- BAE Preamps
- Manley Preamps
- Gretsch Drums
- Meinl Cymbals
- Craviotto Snare
Please contact for flexible pricing! Willing to work with any budget.
