Headphones are a must when a drummer is recording his performance to prerecorded music or a metronome. Noise-canceling headphones are a good choice when recording with a drum set. This is because they are able to block out the acoustic sound of the drum set and allow the drummer to focus on the music or metronome to which he is recording.
To record a basic drum set, two overhead microphones, two tom-tom microphones, one snare drum microphone and one kick drum microphone are needed. The overhead microphones are typically condenser microphones. The tom-tom, snare and kick drum microphones are typically dynamic microphones. Condenser microphones are more often used as overheads because they have a more detailed high end, which picks up the "sheen" of the cymbals better. Dynamic microphones are often used for the other drums because of their durability (which allow them to survive a hit by a drum stick) as well as their ability to withstand high sound pressure levels. When recording with a drum set, be sure that you have adequate microphone stands and cables for the number of microphones you are using.
A recording console that allows for multiple inputs to be simultaneously recorded is also necessary when recording with a drum set. To properly record a basic drum set, at least six inputs are needed for the six drum microphones, but more will be needed for a larger drum set.
Audio processing tools, such as compressors and equalizers, are often useful when recording a drum set. Because of the dynamic nature of the drum set, compressors are very useful in controlling the dynamics of the recording. For instance, by placing a compressor on the snare drum, you can tame the louder snare hits and create a more consistent performance. Once the drum set's dynamics are to your liking, equalizers are quite useful in shaping the sounds of the drum set. For instance, an equalizer can be used to add more bass to the kick drum, more high-end sparkle to the overhead microphones or more snap to the snare drum.