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Ableton Live MCP Server

Ableton Live MCP Server

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@wstierhout7PythonMITUpdated Yesterday

Control Ableton Live with 156 typed tools for music production and offline .als analysis.

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Ableton Live MCP Server

CI Release License: MIT Python Glama tool quality

Website and installation guide: abletonmcp.com

Control Ableton Live from an AI assistant. This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that gives Claude, Cursor, Codex, or any MCP client 156 tools for building tracks, editing MIDI, loading instruments and effects, mixing, and mastering inside a running Ableton Live set, plus offline tools that read and diff saved .als project files with Live closed.

A Remote Script runs inside Live and exposes the Live API over a local socket. The MCP server turns that into typed, validated tools that an AI can call correctly, with per-tool documentation, read-only and destructive hints, and workflow prompts.

Quickstart

You need Ableton Live 11 or 12, Python 3.10+, and uv (brew install uv).

1. Register the MCP server.

Codex (local desktop, CLI or IDE host):

codex mcp add ableton -- uvx mcp-server-ableton-live@1.8.0
codex mcp list

For manual configuration and troubleshooting, see the Codex guide.

Claude Code:

claude mcp add AbletonMCP -s user -- uvx mcp-server-ableton-live@1.8.0

Claude Desktop or Cursor, in the mcpServers block of the config file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "AbletonMCP": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-ableton-live@1.8.0"]
    }
  }
}

(To run an unreleased revision instead, use uvx --from git+https://github.com/wstierhout/ableton-live-mcp ableton-live-mcp.)

2. Install the Remote Script. This copies the Live-side script into your User Library:

uvx mcp-server-ableton-live@1.8.0 install

Then activate the bridge in Live:

  1. Fully restart Ableton Live.
  2. Open Settings > Tempo & MIDI, then find the MIDI section and its Control Surface list.
  3. In an unused Control Surface row, select AbletonMCP. Leave existing hardware controller rows unchanged.
  4. In that same row, set Input: None and Output: None.

Link is a separate Settings page in current Live versions. In older versions, look under Link, Tempo & MIDI (or Link/MIDI) in Settings/Preferences, then find the MIDI section.

This selection is required for every MCP client. Installation copies the Remote Script; selecting the Control Surface starts it inside Live. The bridge uses a local socket, so its row does not need hardware MIDI input/output ports.

Run the installer again after upgrading the package so the Live-side script stays version-matched. See Ableton's guide to third-party Remote Scripts if the entry does not appear.

3. Check the setup.

uvx mcp-server-ableton-live@1.8.0 doctor --json

Use the same --user-library "/path/to/User Library" for install and doctor if your library has moved. If an older/different script exists, installation stops: review it before adding --replace. A unique backup is retained. Restart Live before diagnosing; doctor checks both installed bytes and the running bridge version.

4. Start read-only. Ask for the tempo and track names without changes. Then, in a disposable set, try: "Make a lofi beat at 80 BPM with a dusty drum kit, an upright bass, and Rhodes chords, then put a limiter on the master at -1 dB."

What it can do

AreaTools
Session and transportsession info, one-call session snapshot, play/stop, tempo, tap tempo, time signature, loop, locators and cue navigation, scenes, undo/redo, capture MIDI, song scale, global groove and swing, Ableton Link
Tracks and mixercreate and delete MIDI, audio, and return tracks; delete devices; take lanes; group-track fold; volume, pan, mute, solo, arm, sends; input/output routing; meters
Clips and notescreate clips, write and edit MIDI notes (with probability), quantize with strength, Groove Pool swing, loop, gain, pitch, warp mode
Devicesbrowse and search by name, load instruments and effects onto any track including Master and Returns, read and set any parameter, sidechain routing, sample preview, rack macro variations, Simpler sample slicing, per-pad drum control, curated device knowledge base
Arrangementplace clips on the timeline, read and delete arrangement clips, write clip automation
Generatorsdrum patterns in 7 styles, euclidean rhythms, chord progressions, voice-led jazz voicings, 50-plus genre-aware progressions, voice-leading melodies, walking basslines, motif transforms (invert, retrograde, augment), minimalist processes, humanize, one-call session setup
Batchrun many edits in one round trip and one undo step
Audio and analysisrecord a section to a WAV without the Export dialog, detect key and scale, scan the mix for problems, diff the session since the last check
Offline (no Live)summarize, list tracks, extract MIDI, detect key, read mixer and locator detail, diff two versions, lint a saved .als, and parse .adg/.adv racks with edition detection
Recipesscaffold a genre starter (lofi, house) in one call

There are also five workflow prompts (make_a_beat, mix_and_master, start_a_track, sound_design, analyze_and_improve) and a set of server instructions that teach the model the conventions before its first call: 0-based indices, beats for time, 0.85 volume equals 0 dB, and native ranges for device parameters.

Notes

Every action is a specific tool with validated arguments; there is no arbitrary-code path. Some tools still make destructive edits (delete a track, replace a clip's notes, overwrite an arrangement region), so save your work before a big session.

Audio analysis and session changes

analyze_audio_file reads WAV (integer and floating point), AIFF/AIFF-C, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, MP3, AAC and M4A/MP4 (AAC or Apple Lossless) locally. The package installs the PyAV decoder dependency. It preserves the file, sample rate, channel layout and floating-point headroom; compressed files are measured after decoding. Analysis covers the first 30 seconds by default (up to 120 seconds, with a 32-million-sample processing budget), and reports when the result is partial. Measurements include sample peak and RMS, not LUFS or true peak.

session_diff distinguishes renames, reordering and duplicate track names using identifiers from the running bridge. Call it before and after an edit; the first call establishes the comparison baseline. Installing an updated Remote Script and restarting Live keeps the bridge's snapshot format matched to the server.

Focusing the toolset

The server registers 156 tools. That is a lot for a model to choose from on a small task. Set ABLETON_TOOLSETS to load only the groups you need, for example ABLETON_TOOLSETS=session,tracks,clips,generators. Groups (each may span several modules): session, tracks, clips, devices, browser, arrangement, generators, audio, analysis, offline, recipes. Unset loads everything.

Conventions

  • Indices are 0-based. Times and lengths are in beats. Volume uses Live's 0.0 to 1.0 fader range where 0.85 is 0 dB.
  • Device parameters use each parameter's own range. Read get_device_parameters first and check min, max, and the display value before setting.
  • add_notes_to_clip replaces the clip's notes. Use edit_notes to add or remove a few without touching the rest.
  • Placing a session clip into the arrangement overwrites whatever is under it, which is also how you replace a section.
  • Transport replies report the state before the command ran. Confirm with get_session_info.

Troubleshooting

  • AbletonMCP is missing from the Control Surface list: the folder has to be named exactly AbletonMCP, and Live only scans scripts at startup, so restart it.
  • Every command times out: a dialog is open in Live and it blocks the script. On the trial, that is the startup nag. Dismiss it and retry.
  • Port 9877 is not listening: Live is not running, or the Control Surface is not set. If another program already uses 9877, set ABLETON_MCP_PORT in Live's launch environment and ABLETON_PORT for the server so both sides match.
  • You cannot export or freeze from a tool: Live's API has no render or freeze function, so those stay manual. For rendered audio, export with the shortcut and analyse the file separately.

Security

The Remote Script listens on 127.0.0.1:9877 with no authentication. It is bound to loopback so only local processes can reach it. Do not forward that port or change the bind address to a public interface. See SECURITY.md.

Development

ableton_live_mcp/
  server.py        entrypoint: runs the MCP server or a setup subcommand
  app.py           FastMCP app, lifecycle, and server instructions
  connection.py    socket client to the Remote Script
  cli.py           install / uninstall / doctor subcommands
  tools/           session, tracks, clips, devices, browser, arrangement,
                   generators, prompts
  remote_script/
    __init__.py    the Live-side script and its command dispatch tables
tests/             protocol, dispatch-contract, and registration tests

uv run --extra dev pytest      # tests
uvx ruff check .               # lint

CI runs lint, a byte-compile of the Remote Script, and tests on Python 3.10, 3.12, 3.13, and 3.14.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ableton Live MCP Server?

It is a local Model Context Protocol server that lets AI clients such as Claude, Cursor, and Codex inspect and control Ableton Live through typed tools. It can build tracks, edit MIDI, load and configure devices, arrange clips, mix a set, and analyze saved .als projects.

How is this different from other Ableton MCP servers?

This server exposes 156 specific, validated tools rather than an arbitrary-code execution tool. It includes destructive/read-only hints, workflow prompts, built-in music generators, mixing and analysis tools, and offline .als/.adg inspection. The Remote Script and MCP package are versioned and tested together.

Can it work while Ableton Live is closed?

The real-time control tools require Ableton Live and the bundled Remote Script to be running. The offline tools can summarize, inspect, lint, extract MIDI from, and diff saved .als, .adg, and .adv files without launching Live.

Which MCP clients are supported?

Any client that can launch a local stdio MCP server can use it, including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and compatible IDEs. The canonical command is uvx mcp-server-ableton-live.

Is this an official Ableton product?

No. It is an independent, open-source integration and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ableton.

Credits and license

MIT licensed, maintained by Wouter Stierhout. See LICENSE. Ableton and Live are trademarks of Ableton AG. This independent open-source project is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ableton AG.