<p>I’m sure that people have gotten through prescreening rounds using nothing more than the microphone included with the Macbook, but they do so at a competitive disadvantage. That microphone does a decent job, but it is at best a compromise in that it must handle a lot of things fairly well while being optimal for none of them. There are better choices available for recording music that do not cost a huge amount of money. Transceivers (i.e. microphones and speakers) are often the weak link in any audio system, particularly within the constraints imposed by a laptop - small size, plus lots of electrical and mechanical noise sources only inches away if that.</p>
<p>My son uses a MXL USB.007 stereo microphone and a Macbook to record his songs (voice and guitar). The results are markedly better than what he used to get using the built-in microphone. I have seen it on sale at just a bit over $100, so it is a very cost-effective improvement. The ability to create a stereo recording in a single take makes this particular microphone very useful. If you are entrepreneurial, you could even use that setup to record other people’s concerts or prescreening recordings and quickly make back what you paid for it.</p>
<p>The H2/H4 units are also excellent choices and free you up from the laptop completely for just a bit more money.</p>