# Ableton Live MCP Server

Hands an AI assistant 156 typed tools for driving a running Ableton Live set, plus offline reading of saved .als projects.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 58
- Author: wstierhout
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/wstierhout/ableton-live-mcp
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/ableton-live-mcp-server

## What it does

A Remote Script sits inside Live and serves the Live API over a local socket. The server wraps that into typed calls with validated arguments, per-tool docs, and hints marking which ones destroy data.

The tool set spans session and transport, tracks and mixer, clips and MIDI notes, devices, arrangement, pattern and chord generators, batched edits that collapse into one undo step, recording a section to WAV, and mix analysis. A second group runs with Live closed: project summary, track listing, MIDI extraction, key detection, version diffing, and linting a saved `.als`.

You need Ableton Live 11 or 12, Python 3.10+, and `uv`. Register the server, then run `uvx mcp-server-ableton-live@1.8.1 install` to copy the Remote Script, restart Live fully, and pick **AbletonMCP** in the **Control Surface** list under **Settings > Tempo & MIDI** with **Input: None** and **Output: None**. Skip that row and the bridge never starts, so the client sees no tools at all. Some tools delete tracks or overwrite clip notes, so save the project before a long session.

## Requirements
- Needs: Python and uv (commands run via uvx)

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add ableton-live-mcp -- uvx mcp-server-ableton-live
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcp-server-ableton-live <command>

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add ableton-live-mcp-server -- uvx mcp-server-ableton-live
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcp-server-ableton-live <command>

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "ableton-live-mcp-server": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-server-ableton-live"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcp-server-ableton-live <command>

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "ableton-live-mcp-server": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-server-ableton-live"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcp-server-ableton-live <command>

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add ableton-live-mcp-server uvx mcp-server-ableton-live
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from mcp-server-ableton-live <command>

## When to use it
- write MIDI notes into an open set
- load an instrument or effect onto a track by name
- mix a track and drop a limiter on the master
- diff two saved versions of an `.als`
- record a section to WAV without the export dialog

## Example prompts
- Show me the tempo and track names, no changes
- Diff the session against the last check and tell me what moved

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