Ableton Cookbook MCP
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@Ableton Cookbook MCPAnalyze the rack file 'Bass.adg' for macros."
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
ποΈ The Ableton Cookbook - MCP Server
Share and discover Ableton Live production recipes - A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that bridges AI assistants with Ableton Live, enabling version control, rack analysis, and real-time control for music production workflows.
π View Documentation | π Contributing Guide | πΊοΈ Vision & Roadmap
This project enables AI assistants to interact with Ableton Live through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), combining real-time control, offline analysis, version tracking, and rack parsing into a unified workflow intelligence system.
Vision
Think Spotify Wrapped meets Stack Overflow for music production. A platform where producers share and discover Ableton workflows through:
ποΈ Rack Analysis - Parse and share device chains as "recipes"
π Version Control - Track project evolution with semantic versioning
π Collective Intelligence - Query anonymized data from thousands of projects
π€ AI-Powered Insights - Get mixing advice, device recommendations, and workflow patterns
Related MCP server: AbletonMCP Enhanced
Project Structure
Mono-repo with npm workspaces:
ableton-cookbook-mcp/
βββ packages/
β βββ mcp-server/ # TypeScript MCP Server π’ ACTIVE
β β βββ src/
β β β βββ index.ts # Main MCP server (16 tools)
β β β βββ archivist.ts # Offline .als parsing
β β β βββ operator.ts # Real-time Live control
β β β βββ historian.ts # Version control bridge
β β β βββ analyzer.ts # Rack/preset analysis bridge
β β βββ dist/ # Compiled JavaScript
β β
β βββ python-scripts/ # Version Control System π’ ACTIVE
β β βββ ableton_version_manager.py
β β βββ ableton_visualizer.py
β β βββ ableton_diff.py
β β
β βββ php-analyzers/ # Rack/Preset Parsers π’ ACTIVE
β βββ abletonRackAnalyzer/
β βββ abletonDrumRackAnalyzer/
β βββ abletonPresetAnalyzer/
β βββ abletonSessionAnalyzer/
β
βββ .claude/ # AI context & planning docs
β βββ PROJECT_CONTEXT.md
β βββ ARCHITECTURE.md
β βββ VISION_AND_ROADMAP.md
β βββ WEEK_1_IMPLEMENTATION.md
β
βββ docs/ # GitHub Pages documentation
βββ .github/
β βββ workflows/ # CI/CD automation
β βββ ISSUE_TEMPLATE/ # Bug/feature templates
β
βββ cookbook-website/ # Laravel Web Platform (symlink)
βββ β (External Laravel project)Features
ποΈ Archivist (Offline Analysis)
Scan directories for Ableton Live Set (.als) files
Parse and inspect .als files without opening Live
Extract track, device, and scene information from project files
ποΈ Operator (Live Control)
Real-time connection to running Ableton Live instance
Query transport status (tempo, play state, song time)
List all tracks with names, colors, and IDs
Control mixer parameters (volume, etc.)
π Historian (Version Control)
Track version history of Ableton projects
Compare any two versions to see changes
Generate detailed change reports (track additions/removals, device changes)
Create HTML timeline visualizations
Automatic version scanning and metadata integration
π¬ Analyzer (Rack & Preset Analysis)
Parse Ableton rack files (.adg) to extract device chains and macros
Analyze drum racks with pad assignments and sample mappings
Inspect device presets (.adv) to see parameter settings
Scan User Library for all racks, presets, and workflows
Search racks by device type (find all racks using specific plugins)
Detect edition requirements (Intro/Standard/Suite)
Prerequisites
1. Node.js
Ensure you have Node.js (v18 or higher) installed.
2. Ableton Live & ableton-js Remote Script
This server uses the ableton-js library to communicate with Live. For this to work, you must install the official MIDI Remote Script.
Locate the
node_modules/ableton-js/midi-scriptfolder in this project (after runningnpm install).Copy the
AbletonJSfolder to your Ableton Live "MIDI Remote Scripts" directory:macOS:
/Applications/Ableton Live 11 Suite.app/Contents/App-Resources/MIDI Remote Scripts/Quick Start
Installation
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/teamallnighter/ableton-cookbook-mcp.git
cd ableton-cookbook-mcp
# Install and build MCP server
cd packages/mcp-server
npm install
npm run buildConfigure Claude Desktop
Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"ableton": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/ableton-cookbook-mcp/packages/mcp-server/dist/index.js"]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop and you'll see 16 Ableton tools available! π
Development
cd packages/mcp-server
# Watch mode (auto-rebuild on changes)
npm run watch
# Lint and format
npm run lint
npm run format
# Manual build
npm run build{ "mcpServers": { "ableton-live": { "command": "node", "args": ["/Volumes/DEV/M4L-MCP/dist/index.js"] } } }
After adding the configuration, restart Claude Desktop.
## Available Tools
### Offline Analysis (Archivist)
- **scan_project_files** - Find all .als files in a directory
- **inspect_als** - Parse an .als file to extract structure
### Live Control (Operator)
- **get_live_status** - Get transport status and tempo
- **list_live_tracks** - List all tracks in the current set
- **set_track_volume** - Control track volume
### Version Control (Historian)
- **get_version_history** - Show all versions with timestamps
- **scan_versions** - Find versioned .als files (_X.Y.Z.als pattern)
- **compare_versions** - Diff two specific versions
- **get_latest_changes** - View most recent change report
- **get_change_report** - Get changes between specific versions
- **generate_timeline** - Create HTML timeline visualization
### Rack & Preset Analysis (Analyzer)
- **analyze_rack** - Extract device chains, macros, and metadata from .adg racks
- **analyze_drum_rack** - Parse drum rack pad assignments and samples
- **analyze_preset** - Inspect device preset (.adv) parameter settings
- **scan_user_library** - Index all racks, drum racks, and presets in User Library
- **search_racks_by_device** - Find racks containing specific devices (e.g., "Serum")
## Contributing
We welcome contributions! Whether you're a producer, developer, or both - your input helps make this tool better for the music production community.
**Ways to contribute:**
- π [Report bugs](https://github.com/teamallnighter/ableton-cookbook-mcp/issues/new?template=bug_report.yml)
- β¨ [Request features](https://github.com/teamallnighter/ableton-cookbook-mcp/issues/new?template=feature_request.yml)
- π Improve documentation
- π§ Submit pull requests
- π¬ [Join discussions](https://github.com/teamallnighter/ableton-cookbook-mcp/discussions)
See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for detailed guidelines.
## Documentation
- π **[Full Documentation](https://teamallnighter.github.io/ableton-cookbook-mcp/)** - Setup guides and examples
- ποΈ **[Architecture](.claude/ARCHITECTURE.md)** - Technical design and data models
- πΊοΈ **[Vision & Roadmap](.claude/VISION_AND_ROADMAP.md)** - Product vision and future plans
- π§ **[Development Guide](.claude/DEVELOPMENT.md)** - Setup, debugging, and testing
- π **[Project Context](.claude/PROJECT_CONTEXT.md)** - Complete project overview
## Roadmap
- [x] **Phase 1: Proof of Concept** - MCP server with 16 tools β
- [ ] **Phase 2: Easy Setup** - Desktop installer for non-technical users
- [ ] **Phase 3: Community** - Web platform for sharing workflow recipes
- [ ] **Phase 4: Discovery** - Search, recommendations, and integrations
See [VISION_AND_ROADMAP.md](.claude/VISION_AND_ROADMAP.md) for detailed plans.
## License
MIT License - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
## Acknowledgments
Built with:
- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) by Anthropic
- [ableton-js](https://github.com/leolabs/ableton-js) by Leo Bernard
- Love for music production π΅
---
**Made with π΅ by [Team All Nighter](https://github.com/teamallnighter)**
*For producers who code at 3am*
## Example Usage
Once configured, you can ask Claude:
**Live Control:**
- "What tracks are in my current Ableton set?"
- "Set the volume of the Bass track to 0.5"
- "What's the current tempo and play state?"
**Version Control:**
- "Show me the version history for my project"
- "What changed between version 0.1.0 and 0.1.2?"
- "Generate a timeline visualization for this project"
**Rack Analysis:**
- "Analyze this rack and show me the device chain"
- "What devices are in my Bass Daddy rack?"
- "Find all racks in my User Library that use Serum"
- "Scan my User Library and show me all my custom racks"This server cannot be installed
Maintenance
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