Plastic: Mac audio recording, chord analysis and lyric videos

What is Plastic, in plain English?

Plastic offers musicians two Mac apps for different stages of a project. DOT Audio Recorder captures playback and estimates its key, tempo and chords. Clips combines a finished song, supplied lyrics and your visuals into short lyric videos. The website also offers free browser music tools.

Choose DOT to keep and investigate an audio idea. Choose Clips when you already have a song and want several clips for a release. Both desktop apps process your music locally and have free versions.

Plastic is operated by Patrick Ono, LLC.

Record Mac playback and bring the idea into a DAW

DOT Audio Recorder captures a selected app or all Mac audio without an extra virtual audio driver. It requires macOS 14.4 or later on Intel or Apple silicon.

1. Grant Screen & System Audio Recording permission. DOT uses the audio; microphone access is needed only if you enable that input.
2. Play the material, choose its app or All Mac audio, and press Command-R.
3. Press Command-R again to stop. Review the automatically trimmed take, its key, BPM and half-bar chord estimates.
4. Adjust the beat-snapping trim handles, listen again, then drag the audio into your DAW.

Documented formats include WAV, AIFF and M4A; Ableton, Logic and FL Studio are examples of compatible destinations. Detected musical values are estimates and need a listening check.

Reuse a chord progression as editable MIDI

The official audio-to-MIDI guide describes Command-E, then Save chords as MIDI. Drop the resulting file on an instrument track to try your own sounds.

This exports detected harmony. It does not transcribe the complete melody, bass line and drums of a finished mix. Compare the progression with the recording before building an arrangement around it.

Make several lyric clips from one finished song

In Clips, prepare a finished song, footage or photos you may use, and lyrics as a text file. Drop in the song, select its detected sections and add a short hook line. Check the word-by-word alignment; uncertain words can be reviewed by playing a line and tapping their timing.

Export combinations of song sections and backdrops, then watch the files before posting. Output is vertical 1080 × 1920 or square 1080 × 1080. Clips requires macOS 13 or later on Intel or Apple silicon; lyric sync works best on macOS 26 according to the site. It does not supply the lyrics or produce a full-length 16:9 lyric video. Ad performance still requires real testing.

Free boundaries and one-time licenses

Checked on 27 October 2026: public prices are in USD; applicable tax is determined at checkout.

• DOT: first 10 recordings and 3 chord-MIDI exports free, without time expiry. Unlimited use costs $49 once.
• Clips: all features and unlimited exports free with a small Clips tag. Artist costs $99 once to remove the tag for your own music on up to 3 personal Macs.
• Clips Label / Studio: $299 once for client or roster work on up to 10 business Macs.
• Personal DOT + Clips bundle: $125 once, up to 3 personal Macs.

Free updates are included; a future separate app may require another purchase. Review the license conditions and 30-day refund policy.

What stays on your Mac?

According to the privacy policy, app recordings, songs and projects remain on the Mac. Updates and license checks still use the internet. Clips uses local Apple speech recognition and may initially download its model.

The website has separate analytics and advertising cookie controls. Recording someone else's audio does not grant permission to release it: use material you own or are licensed to use.

Frequently asked questions

Can DOT record an app without BlackHole?

Yes, on a supported Mac after granting recording permission. General live audio routing is a different requirement.

Can I turn the chords into MIDI?

Yes, as standard chord MIDI for a DAW, rather than a complete transcription of every instrument.

Can I make lyric videos for free?

Clips allows unlimited tagged exports. Removing the tag or working for other artists changes the license you need.

Official tools and help

• Free browser music tools: tempo, key and chord utilities.
• Official guides: recording and release workflows.
• Plastic support: app and purchase help.