Morningstar MIDI MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for configuring Morningstar Engineering MIDI foot controllers using natural language.

"I have an MC8 Pro and a Quad Cortex Mini. Put the tuner on long press bottom-left."

The server resolves the switch position, looks up the correct MIDI CC from the OpenMIDI database, checks for conflicts, and programs your controller via USB.

Features

• Configure Morningstar controllers using natural language through Claude

• 545+ device profiles from OpenMIDI — knows the MIDI implementation of hundreds of pedals, amps, and synths

• Physical layout mapping — say "bottom-left" instead of memorizing switch letters

• Conflict detection — warns before overwriting existing presets

• Supports MC3, MC6 MKII, MC6 Pro, MC8, and MC8 Pro

Related MCP server: MIDI Composition Tools MCP Server

Tools

• connect — Find and connect to a Morningstar controller via USB-MIDI

  • port_name (string, optional): MIDI port name. Auto-detects if omitted.

• get_controller_info — Query controller model, firmware version, and capabilities

• get_preset — Read the current state of a preset

  • preset (string, required): Switch letter (A–H) or position (top-left, bottom-right, etc.)

• set_preset_message — Program a MIDI message onto a preset

  • preset (string, required): Switch letter or position

  • action (string, required): press, release, long_press, double_tap, etc.

  • type (string, required): CC or PC

  • cc_number / cc_value (number, optional): CC parameters

  • pc_number (number, optional): Program Change number

  • channel (number, required): MIDI channel (0–15, where 0 = channel 1)

  • slot (number, optional): Message slot 0–15. Auto-assigns if omitted.

  • force (boolean, optional): Overwrite existing message in slot

• set_preset_name — Rename a preset

  • preset (string, required): Switch letter or position

  • name (string, required): New name

  • name_type (string, optional): short, toggle, or long (default: short)

• get_bank_name / set_bank_name — Read or rename the current bank

• lookup_device — Search the OpenMIDI database for a device's MIDI implementation

  • device_name (string, required): Device name (e.g., "Quad Cortex", "Timeline", "HX Stomp")

• display_message — Show text on the controller's LCD

  • text (string, required): Up to 20 characters

  • duration_ms (number, optional): Display duration in ms (default: 2000)

Installation

Claude Desktop

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "morningstar": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "morningstar-midi-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add morningstar-midi-mcp -- npx -y morningstar-midi-mcp

Build from source

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/Turik1/morningstar-midi-mcp.git
cd morningstar-midi-mcp
npm install
npm run build

Setup

1. Connect your controller

Connect your Morningstar controller to your computer via USB. The server auto-detects Morningstar devices.

2. Configure your rig (optional)

Create ~/.config/morningstar-mcp/setup.yaml to save your device setup:

controller: MC8 Pro

devices:
  - name: Quad Cortex Mini
    midi_channel: 1
  - name: Strymon Timeline
    midi_channel: 2

Without this file, you can tell Claude your setup in conversation.

Supported Controllers

How It Works

The server communicates with Morningstar controllers using the SysEx protocol over USB-MIDI. It bundles the OpenMIDI database (maintained by Morningstar Engineering) containing MIDI CC/PC mappings for 545+ devices.

Since the SysEx protocol cannot read preset messages back from the controller, the server maintains a local shadow state at ~/.config/morningstar-mcp/state.json to track what has been written. Changes made outside this tool (e.g., via the Morningstar Web Editor) are not visible.

Development

npm install
npm test          # Run tests (60 tests)
npm run build     # Compile TypeScript

License

MIT