capture_midi

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of explaining behavioral effects. It only states the basic action but does not disclose what happens after capture (e.g., whether it creates a new clip, modifies an existing one, requires an armed track, or is undoable). This is insufficient for a mutation tool.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, concise sentence that front-loads the action and uses a familiar analogy for clarity. Every word earns its place, with no redundancy or filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a zero-parameter tool, the description gives the core purpose but lacks critical context such as expected behavior, prerequisites, or return values. Since there is no output schema or annotations, these gaps reduce completeness, though the simplicity of the tool mitigates the impact.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool has zero parameters, so the baseline is 4 per the rubric. There is no parameter semantic information needed because the input schema is empty and description coverage is 100% by default.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb ('Capture') with a clear resource ('MIDI that was played recently'), making the tool's action immediately understandable. The Ableton analogy reinforces the concept and helps distinguish this from the recording-related siblings like start_recording and toggle_session_record.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies a usage scenario (retrieving unrecorded recent MIDI) through the Ableton Capture analogy, but it does not explicitly state when to use this tool versus alternatives like start_recording or undo. There is no mention of prerequisites or exclusions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.