Ableton MCP Server

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🎹 Ableton MCP

An AI agent that gives you full control over Ableton Live using natural language.

🚀 Two Modes

1️⃣ MCP Mode (Recommended) - No API Key Required!

Use directly from Claude Desktop. Control Ableton just by chatting - no API key needed.

2️⃣ CLI Mode - Standalone

Operate from terminal using your Anthropic API key.

⚠️ Note: CLI mode is experimental and has not been fully tested.

🌟 MCP Mode Setup (No API Key Required)

1. Installation

cd ableton-mcp
pip install -e .

2. Configure Claude Desktop

Edit the Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ableton-mcp": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "src.mcp_server"],
      "cwd": "/path/to/ableton-mcp"
    }
  }
}

⚠️ Replace cwd with the actual path to your ableton-mcp folder.

📖 Windows users: See INSTALL_WINDOWS.md for detailed instructions.

3. Install AbletonOSC

Option A: Max for Live Device (Simple)

1. Download AbletonOSC
2. Drag AbletonOSC.amxd onto a track in Ableton Live

Option B: Remote Script (Recommended)

1. Download from https://github.com/ideoforms/AbletonOSC
2. Place in Remote Scripts folder:
   • Windows: C:\Users\<YourName>\Documents\Ableton\User Library\Remote Scripts\AbletonOSC
   • macOS: ~/Music/Ableton/User Library/Remote Scripts/AbletonOSC
3. Folder structure: AbletonOSC\__init__.py should be directly inside
4. In Ableton Live → Preferences → Link/Tempo/MIDI → Control Surface → Select AbletonOSC

4. Restart Claude Desktop

After restarting, you can control Ableton directly through chat!

You: Create a 4-minute EDM track

Claude: [using generate_arrangement tool]
Generated arrangement...

You: Add trap-style drums

Claude: [using create_drum_track tool]
Created drum track 'Drums'...

✨ Features

🥁 Drum/Rhythm Generation

• Basic beats, four-on-floor, trap, breakbeat, D&B
• Custom pattern creation

🎹 Melody/Synth Generation

• Melody: Scale-based auto-generation (adjustable density and contour)
• Basslines: basic, walking, syncopated, octave, arpeggiated
• Chord progressions: pop, jazz, sad, epic, dark, edm, lofi, cinematic
• Arpeggios: up, down, updown, random (8th/16th/triplet)

🔍 Sample Search

• Local library search (Ableton Core Library, Splice, etc.)
• Freesound API support
• Natural language queries

🎚️ Mixing Assistance

• Frequency collision detection (kick vs bass, etc.)
• Automatic sidechain compression setup
• EQ suggestions
• Level/dynamics analysis

📐 Song Structure Generation

• Genre templates: EDM, House, Techno, D&B, HipHop, Trap, Lo-Fi, Ambient, Pop
• Complete structure: Intro → Buildup → Drop → Breakdown → Outro
• Automatic automation generation

💻 CLI Mode Usage

Launch

# Ableton connection mode
python src/cli.py

# Mock mode (test without Ableton)
python src/cli.py --mock

Example Session

╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║               🎹 Ableton Agent CLI v2.0 🎹                     ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

🎤 You: Create a 4-minute EDM track

🤖 Agent: I'll generate an EDM track arrangement.

🎛️  Executing: generate_arrangement
    Parameters: {"genre": "edm", "duration_minutes": 4.0}
✅ Generated arrangement:

🎵 Untitled Edm
   Tempo: 128 BPM | Key: Am
   Total: 72 bars

📋 Structure:
   [  0] intro        |  8 bars | Energy: ███░░░░░░░
   [  8] buildup      |  8 bars | Energy: █████░░░░░
   [ 16] drop         | 16 bars | Energy: ██████████
   [ 32] breakdown    |  8 bars | Energy: ████░░░░░░
   [ 40] buildup      |  8 bars | Energy: ███████░░░
   [ 48] drop         | 16 bars | Energy: ██████████
   [ 64] outro        |  8 bars | Energy: ███░░░░░░░

🎤 You: Create trap-style drums

🤖 Agent: I'll create a trap-style drum pattern.
🎛️  Executing: create_drum_track
    Parameters: {"pattern_type": "trap", "bars": 2, "name": "Trap Drums"}
✅ Created drum track 'Trap Drums' (pattern: trap, 2 bars)

⌨️ Commands

Special Commands

Natural Language Examples

Drums

• "Create a basic drum pattern"
• "Make a 4-bar trap beat"
• "Four on the floor kick"
• "Create a breakbeat"

Melody/Bass

• "Create a melody in C minor"
• "Bright pentatonic melody"
• "Syncopated bassline"
• "Add an octave bass"
• "16th note arpeggio"

Chords

• "Create a dark chord progre