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live-coding-music-mcp

๐ŸŽต MCP server for AI-assisted live-coding music via strudel.cc

Unofficial fan project. Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Strudel project. This adapter exists to make live-coding music accessible to beginners who want to try pattern-based music without learning the whole ecosystem first.

Status: Beta | 86% statement coverage | Published to npm | Actively developed

CI npm version Nerq Trust Tools License

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that drives Strudel.cc from Claude for AI-assisted live-coding music, pattern generation, and algorithmic composition.

Current State: Beta. The core workflow (init โ†’ compose โ†’ playback โ†’ analyze) works reliably with real audio output. 1709 tests pass, 86.32% statement coverage / 75.93% branch coverage. CI is hardened with OpenSSF Scorecard, SHA-pinned actions, CODEOWNERS, Dependabot, and lint as a blocking gate.

What "Beta" means here:

  • Tool schemas are stable within minor versions; breaking changes require a major bump

  • Multi-session is supported as of v3.0.0 (#108) โ€” named sessions get isolated browser, history, and audio-capture state

  • Upstream @strudel/* dependencies pinned to known-good versions; Dependabot bumps gated on CI

  • Expect hands-on iteration for non-standard patterns โ€” report rough edges, they get fixed

Table of Contents

Related MCP server: FluidSynth MCP Server

Features

Music control

  • 27 MCP tools covering pattern editing, playback, audio analysis, generation, history, sessions, MIDI import/export, and Gemini-backed assists. Each tool is enum-parameterized to keep the protocol surface small: pattern_store({ action }), edit_pattern({ mode }), transform({ op }), analyze({ include }), history({ action }), playback({ action }), effect({ action }), shape({ dimension }), audio_capture({ action }), browser_window({ action }), generate_part({ role }), generate_rhythm({ type }), music_theory({ query }), session({ action }), ai_assist({ task }), ... The 58 legacy single-verb aliases that forwarded to these were removed in v4.0.0 (#178).

  • 4 MCP resources for catalog browsing without burning tool calls: strudel://examples, strudel://patterns, strudel://styles, strudel://docs/tools.

  • Real browser automation of Strudel.cc through Playwright.

  • Multi-session support โ€” every browser-touching tool accepts an optional session_id; sessions have isolated browser pages, undo/redo/history stacks, and audio-capture services.

  • Audio analysis via Web Audio API (FFT spectrum, tempo detection, key detection, rhythm complexity).

  • Template-based pattern generation across 8 genres (techno, house, dnb, ambient, trap, jungle, jazz, experimental); optional Gemini-backed ai_assist for feedback, suggestions, and jamming.

  • Music theory helpers: 15+ scales, 8+ chord progression styles, euclidean and polyrhythm generation.

  • Pattern persistence: JSON-backed save/load with tags + the in-memory edit history (undo/redo/restore/compare).

  • Result envelope on every tools/call: clients branch on { ok, errorCategory, isRetryable } instead of parsing free-text.

Testing & CI status

  • 1709 passing tests across unit, integration, and example-validation suites; 20 skipped (browser, gated by Playwright).

  • 86.32% statement coverage / 75.93% branch coverage.

  • Lint blocking in CI: 0 errors, ~163 warnings (mostly any in test mocks).

  • OIDC trusted publishing to npm with SLSA build provenance attestation on every release.

Not Production-Ready: This is experimental software under active development. Use for exploration and experimentation. Expect breaking changes, bugs, and incomplete features. See the Contributing section to help improve it.

Example patterns

18 example patterns ship in patterns/examples/, grouped by genre:

  • Techno: hard-techno, minimal-techno

  • House: deep-house, tech-house

  • Drum & Bass: liquid-dnb, neurofunk

  • Ambient: dark-ambient, drone

  • Trap: modern-trap, cloud-trap

  • Jungle: classic-jungle, ragga-jungle

  • Jazz: bebop, modal-jazz

  • Longform (multi-minute pieces): dark-ambient-journey, driving-techno, liquid-dnb-roller, nu-jazz-session

Each example is a JSON file with pattern code, BPM, key, and a description. See patterns/examples/README.md for details. Agents can also list these via the strudel://examples MCP resource without making any tool calls.

Migrating from @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server

This project was renamed from @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server to @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp to make the unofficial fan-project status unambiguous (see #97). The old package is deprecated on npm.

If you were using the old package:

# Remove old
npm uninstall -g @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server

# Install new
npm install -g @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp

Update your MCP client config. The bin name changed from strudel-mcp to live-coding-music-mcp:

// BEFORE
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "strudel": { "command": "strudel-mcp" }
  }
}

// AFTER
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "live-coding-music": { "command": "live-coding-music-mcp" }
  }
}

The MCP server's internal identity string also changed from strudel-mcp-enhanced to live-coding-music-mcp. If you have a client that keys on that string (logs, allowlists, permission policies), update it accordingly.

All tool names and schemas are unchanged.

Installation

Prerequisites

Requirement

Version

Notes

Node.js

22.x+

LTS required

npm

10+

Comes with Node.js

Chromium

Latest

Auto-installed by Playwright

Audio output

Any

Required for playback (speakers/headphones)

Optional: Docker for containerized deployment.

From npm

npm install -g @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp

# Install browser (required once)
npx playwright install chromium

From Source

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp.git
cd live-coding-music-mcp

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Install Chromium for browser automation
npx playwright install chromium

# Build the project
npm run build

Quick Start

Get from install to your first generated pattern in under two minutes.

1. Install

npm install -g @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp
npx playwright install chromium   # one-time

Building from source instead? See Installation โ†’ From Source.

2. Configure your MCP client

Claude Desktop

Edit your Claude Desktop config file:

OS

Config path

macOS

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows

%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Linux

~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Add the server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "live-coding-music": {
      "command": "live-coding-music-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop. The server appears under the ๐Ÿ”Œ plug icon.

Claude Code (CLI)

# If installed globally
claude mcp add strudel live-coding-music-mcp

# If built from source
claude mcp add strudel node /path/to/live-coding-music-mcp/dist/index.js

3. Verify the server responds

# From a global install
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/list","id":1}' | live-coding-music-mcp

# From source
npm run validate

You should see a JSON response listing 26 tools. If you see fewer, the build is out of date โ€” run npm run build.

4. Make your first sound

In Claude, ask:

Initialize Strudel and compose a techno beat.

What you'll see: A Chromium window opens (visibly โ€” this is the live editor, not a hidden process) and lands on strudel.cc. Claude calls init, then compose({ style: "techno" }). A 4-on-the-floor pattern appears in the CodeMirror editor and starts playing through your speakers.

Prefer headless mode (no browser window)? Set "headless": true in config.json before the first init call โ€” see Configuration. Note that audio analysis (tempo / key detection) is more reliable in headed mode; headless audio sampling is best-effort.

5. Where to go next

  • Quick Reference below: tool cheat sheet for common operations.

  • Usage Examples: multi-step workflows (composition, audio analysis, AI-assisted jamming).

  • patterns/examples/: 18 ready-to-play patterns across 7 genres plus 4 longform pieces. Agents can browse them via the strudel://examples MCP resource without burning tool calls.

Quick Reference

Common operations as one-line tool calls:

Action

Tool call

Initialize browser

init

Create a techno beat in one shot

compose({ style: "techno" })

Play pattern

playback({ action: "play" })

Stop playback

playback({ action: "stop" })

Get current pattern

get_pattern

Analyze audio (all features)

analyze({ include: ["all"] })

Detect tempo only

analyze({ include: ["tempo"] })

Save pattern

pattern_store({ action: "save", name: "my-pattern" })

Undo last edit

history({ action: "undo" })

Edit current pattern

edit_pattern({ mode: "write", pattern: "..." })

Create an isolated session

session({ action: "create", session_id: "live-1" })

The legacy single-verb tools (play, stop, save, undo, write, generate_pattern, ...) were deprecated aliases during the 3.0.x line and were removed in v4.0.0 (#178). Use the consolidated tools above.

One-shot workflow:

compose with style: "dnb", key: "Am", tempo: 174, auto_play: true

Available Tools

27 tools across 14 categories:

Tool

Description

init

Initialize Strudel in browser

Tool

Description

edit_pattern

Mutate the current session pattern.

get_pattern

Get current pattern code

Tool

Description

playback

Control transport on the current session.

set_tempo

Set BPM

Tool

Description

pattern_store

Persist patterns to disk and read them back.

import_midi

Convert a .mid file into a playable Strudel pattern (Phase 1: literal transcription, #201).

Tool

Description

history

Navigate or inspect the pattern edit history.

Tool

Description

compose

Generate, write, and play a complete pattern in one step. Auto-initializes default browser if needed.

generate_part

Generate a single instrumental layer and append it to the current session pattern.

generate_rhythm

Generate a rhythmic pattern and append it to the current session.

Tool

Description

music_theory

Music-theory queries.

Tool

Description

transform

Apply a single transform op to the current session pattern.

effect

Add or remove a Strudel effect on the current session pattern.

shape

Shape the current pattern along one of three high-level dimensions.

Tool

Description

ai_assist

Gemini-backed pattern assistance.

Tool

Description

analyze

Audio analysis on the currently-playing pattern.

validate_pattern_runtime

Validate pattern with runtime error checking (monitors Strudel console for errors)

validate_pattern_local

Validate pattern syntax against the in-process StrudelEngine (no browser required)

analyze_pattern_local

Static analysis (events/cycle, complexity, optional BPM) without browser playback

query_pattern_events

Enumerate events the pattern would emit between two cycle indices (max 16 cycles)

transpile_pattern

Transpile pattern source via StrudelEngine; returns transpiled code or syntax error

Tool

Description

session

Manage isolated Strudel browser sessions (multi-session, #108).

Tool

Description

export_midi

Export current pattern to MIDI file. Parses note(), n(), and chord() functions.

browser_window

Interact with the visible Strudel browser window.

Tool

Description

audio_capture

Record audio output from the live Strudel session.

Tool

Description

diagnostics

Inspect server and browser state.

Auto-generated from source. 27 tools registered.

Usage Examples

Basic Pattern Creation

Create a Simple Beat

You: Initialize Strudel and create a simple techno beat

Claude: [Initializes browser]
        [Generates and writes pattern]
        [Starts playback]

Pattern created:
setcpm(130)
stack(
  s("bd*4"),
  s("~ cp ~ cp"),
  s("hh*8").gain(0.4)
).gain(0.8)

Generate a Bassline

You: Add a techno bassline in C

Claude: [Generates bassline]
        [Appends to current pattern]

Added: note("c2 c2 c2 c2").s("sawtooth").cutoff(800)

Advanced Music Generation

Jazz Composition

You: Create a jazz progression in F major with a walking bass

Claude: Generated progression: "Gm7" "C7" "Fmaj7"

Pattern:
stack(
  note("Gm7" "C7" "Fmaj7").struct("1 ~ ~ ~").s("piano"),
  note("g2 c2 f2").s("sine").gain(0.7)
)

Drum & Bass Track

You: Generate a complete drum & bass track at 174 BPM

Claude: [Creates multi-layer pattern with drums, bass, and pads]

// dnb pattern in C at 174 BPM
setcpm(174)
stack(
  // Drums
  s("bd ~ ~ [bd bd] ~ ~ bd ~, ~ ~ cp ~ ~ cp ~ ~").fast(2),

  // Bass
  note("c1 ~ ~ c2 ~ c1 ~ ~").s("square").cutoff(400),

  // Pads (atmospheric)
  note("c3 eb3 g3 bb3").s("sawtooth")
    .attack(2).release(4).room(0.8).gain(0.6)
)

Real-Time Manipulation

Live Audio Analysis

You: Analyze what's playing and show me the frequency breakdown

Claude: Audio Analysis Results:
{
  "connected": true,
  "features": {
    "average": 78.5,
    "peak": 180,
    "peakFrequency": 120,
    "bass": 145,
    "mid": 82,
    "treble": 45,
    "isPlaying": true,
    "brightness": "balanced"
  }
}

Strong bass presence detected - typical for techno/house patterns.

Pattern Variations

You: Create a glitchy variation of the current pattern

Claude: [Applies glitch transformation]

Added: .sometimes(x => x.chop(8).rev).rarely(x => x.speed(-1))

Multi-Track Composition

Layered Ambient Track

You: Create an ambient soundscape with multiple layers

Claude: [Generates complex multi-layer pattern]

setcpm(90)
stack(
  // Deep bass drone
  note("c1").s("sine").attack(4).release(8).gain(0.5),

  // Texture pad
  note("c3 eb3 g3").s("sawtooth")
    .attack(2).release(6).room(0.9).gain(0.4),

  // Sparse percussion
  s("bd ~ ~ ~, ~ ~ ~ hh:8").room(0.9).gain(0.3),

  // Melodic sparkles
  note("c5 g5 eb5 bb5").struct("~ 1 ~ 1 ~ ~ 1 ~")
    .s("triangle").delay(0.5).room(0.8).gain(0.3)
)

Session Management

Save and Load Patterns

You: Save this pattern as "techno-groove-1" with tags "techno" and "experimental"

Claude: Pattern saved as "techno-groove-1"

---

You: List all my techno patterns

Claude: Saved patterns with tag "techno":
โ€ข techno-groove-1 [techno, experimental] - 2025-10-23T19:30:00.000Z
โ€ข acid-bassline [techno, acid] - 2025-10-23T18:15:00.000Z

---

You: Load "acid-bassline"

Claude: Loaded pattern "acid-bassline"
[Pattern written to editor]

Music Theory Applications

Generate Euclidean Rhythms

You: Create a 5/8 euclidean rhythm with kick drum

Claude: Generated Euclidean rhythm (5/8)

Pattern: s("bd").struct("1 ~ 1 ~ 1 1 ~ 1")

Complex Polyrhythms

You: Generate a polyrhythm with kick (4/16), snare (7/16), and hi-hat (3/16)

Claude: Generated polyrhythm

stack(
  s("bd").euclid(4, 16),
  s("cp").euclid(7, 16),
  s("hh").euclid(3, 16)
)

Integration with LLM Agents

AI-Assisted Composition

You: Analyze the mood of my current pattern and suggest complementary elements

Claude: [Analyzes pattern structure and audio features]

Your pattern has:
- Energetic rhythm (130 BPM)
- Strong bass presence
- Minimal melodic content

Suggestions:
1. Add arpeggiated synth for movement
2. Include occasional breaks/fills
3. Layer atmospheric pad for depth

Would you like me to add any of these?

You: Add an arpeggiated synth in C minor

Claude: [Generates and adds]

note("c4 eb4 g4 bb4 c5").struct("1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1")
  .s("triangle").delay(0.25).room(0.3).gain(0.5)

Testing

Tools are exercised against real Strudel.cc interaction through the browser test suite; those are skipped in CI (require Playwright + audio) but run locally:

# Run integration tests
npm run test:integration

# Run browser tests
node tests/strudel-integration.js

# Run npm test to see current pass/fail/skip counts

Configuration

config.json

{
  "headless": false,        // Set true for background operation
  "strudel_url": "https://strudel.cc/",
  "patterns_dir": "./patterns",
  "audio_analysis": {
    "fft_size": 1024,       // power of 2 in [32, 32768]; default 1024
    "smoothing": 0.8        // number in [0, 1]; default 0.8
  }
}

audio_analysis.fft_size tunes the FFT bin count on the AnalyserNode attached to Strudel's audio graph โ€” larger = better frequency resolution at higher CPU cost. smoothing is the analyser's smoothingTimeConstant (higher = steadier spectrum, more lag). Invalid values fall back to defaults with a warning; the frequency-band boundaries inside analyze rescale automatically so band Hz coverage stays consistent across FFT sizes.

Architecture

The server is a thin MCP dispatcher (src/server/server.ts, ~510 lines) over twelve per-domain tool modules (src/server/tools/*.ts), six services (MusicTheory, PatternGenerator, SessionManager, AudioCaptureService, GeminiService, MIDIExportService, StrudelEngine), two controllers (StrudelController for Playwright, AudioAnalyzer for Web Audio API), and a JSON-on-disk PatternStore. Browser automation hits the CodeMirror editor on strudel.cc directly via editor.__view.dispatch(...) rather than keyboard simulation โ€” about 80% faster.

For the full breakdown โ€” component diagram, per-component responsibilities, directory layout, data flow, and optimization strategies โ€” see ARCHITECTURE.md.

Pattern Examples

Minimal Techno (Verified Working)

setcpm(130)
stack(
  s("bd*4").gain(0.9),
  s("~ cp ~ cp").room(0.2),
  s("hh*16").gain(0.4).pan(sine.range(-0.5, 0.5)),
  note("c2 c2 eb2 c2").s("sawtooth").cutoff(800)
).swing(0.05)

Drum & Bass (Verified Working)

setcpm(174)
stack(
  s("bd ~ ~ [bd bd] ~ ~ bd ~, ~ ~ sn:3 ~ ~ sn:3 ~ ~").fast(2),
  s("hh*16").gain(0.5),
  note("e1 ~ ~ e2 ~ e1 ~ ~").s("sine:2").lpf(200)
)

Generated Jazz Progression

// Jazz ii-V-I in F
stack(
  note("Gm7" "C7" "Fmaj7").struct("1 ~ ~ ~").s("piano"),
  note("g2 c2 f2").s("sine").gain(0.7)
)

Docker Support

# Build image
docker build -t live-coding-music-mcp .

# Run container
docker run -it --rm live-coding-music-mcp

# Or use docker-compose
docker-compose up

Development

For development setup, scripts, debugging, adding new tools, and the release process, see DEVELOPMENT.md.

Quick links:

The Configuration section above covers runtime config (config.json). ARCHITECTURE.md covers the system design.

Performance

Measured against the current StrudelController cache + Strudel.cc on a developer machine:

Operation

Latency

Browser initialization

1.5โ€“2 s (with resource blocking)

Pattern write

50โ€“80 ms (cached CodeMirror editor access)

Pattern read (cached)

10โ€“15 ms

Play / pause / stop

100โ€“150 ms

Audio analysis (single FFT)

10โ€“15 ms

Tempo detection

<100 ms (onset-based; degraded under headless audio)

Key detection

<100 ms (Krumhansl-Schmuckler)

Pattern generation

<100 ms (template-based)

Process resident memory

~120โ€“150 MB

Advanced Usage

Custom Music Theory

Create Custom Scales

// The MusicTheory service supports 15+ built-in scales
// You can request any combination:

You: Generate a lydian scale starting on D

Claude: D lydian scale: D, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#

Complex Chord Progressions

You: Create a jazz ii-V-I progression in Bb with extended voicings

Claude: Generated jazz progression in Bb: "Cm7" "F7" "Bbmaj7"

Pattern:
note("Cm7" "F7" "Bbmaj7")
  .struct("1 ~ ~ ~")
  .s("sawtooth")
  .add(note("7"))  // Add 7th extensions
  .room(0.4)

Advanced Rhythm Techniques

Euclidean Patterns

You: Create a complex polyrhythm using euclidean patterns:
     - Bass drum: 7 hits in 16 steps
     - Snare: 5 hits in 16 steps
     - Hi-hat: 11 hits in 16 steps

Claude: [Generates mathematically perfect polyrhythm]

stack(
  s("bd").euclid(7, 16),
  s("cp").euclid(5, 16),
  s("hh").euclid(11, 16)
)

Generative Variations

You: Create 3 variations of my current pattern: subtle, moderate, and glitchy

Claude: [Generates three variants]

Version 1 (subtle):
original.sometimes(x => x.fast(2))

Version 2 (moderate):
original.every(4, x => x.rev).sometimes(x => x.fast(2))

Version 3 (glitchy):
original.sometimes(x => x.chop(8).rev).rarely(x => x.speed(-1))

Performance Optimization Tips

Pattern Caching

// The server caches patterns intelligently:
// - Generated patterns stored before browser init
// - Editor content cached for 100ms
// - Audio analysis cached for 50ms

// For fastest performance:
1. Generate patterns before initializing browser
2. Initialize once and reuse the session
3. Batch multiple changes together

Headless Mode

// In config.json:
{
  "headless": true,  // Faster, no GUI
  "strudel_url": "https://strudel.cc/",
  "patterns_dir": "./patterns"
}

Integration Patterns

Workflow Automation

You: Create a complete track:
     1. Start with techno drums at 130 BPM
     2. Add acid bassline in E
     3. Layer ambient pads
     4. Save as "track-001" with tags "techno", "acid", "experimental"

Claude: [Executes full workflow]
        [Initializes browser]
        [Generates drum pattern]
        [Adds bassline]
        [Layers pads]
        [Saves with metadata]

Complete! Pattern saved as "track-001"

Audio-Reactive Composition

You: Monitor the audio and suggest adjustments based on frequency balance

Claude: [Analyzes current playback]

Analysis shows:
- Bass: 180 (strong)
- Mid: 45 (weak)
- Treble: 30 (weak)

Recommendations:
1. Reduce bass gain by 20%
2. Add mid-range melodic content
3. Include hi-hat pattern for treble

Apply changes? [Yes/No]

Advanced Pattern Manipulation

Dynamic Transformations

You: Apply these transformations in sequence:
     1. Transpose up 3 semitones
     2. Add 10% humanization
     3. Apply reverb with 0.6 room size
     4. Every 4th cycle, reverse the pattern

Claude: [Applies transformations]

Final pattern:
[original]
  .transpose(3)
  .nudge(rand.range(-0.1, 0.1))
  .room(0.6)
  .every(4, x => x.rev)

Conditional Logic

You: Create a pattern that evolves:
     - Bars 1-4: Simple kick pattern
     - Bars 5-8: Add snare
     - Bars 9-16: Add full drum kit
     - Then loop with variations

Claude: [Generates evolving pattern]

s("bd*4")
  .struct("1 ~ ~ ~")
  .mask("<1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0>/4")  // First 4 bars
  .stack(
    s("~ cp ~ cp")
      .mask("<0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1>/8")  // Bars 5-8
  )
  // Full complexity from bar 9
  .every(8, x => x.sometimes(y => y.fast(2)))

Security

Pattern Validation

All patterns are validated before execution:

  • Dangerous gain levels (>2.0) are flagged

  • Eval blocks are rejected

  • Path traversal attacks are blocked in PatternStore

Browser Sandboxing

  • Playwright runs Chromium in sandbox mode

  • No access to local filesystem from browser context

  • Resource blocking prevents loading external content

Known Limitations

  • No authentication: The MCP server trusts all incoming requests

  • Local only: Designed for local development, not network deployment

  • Pattern execution: Patterns execute in browser context with audio access

Reporting Security Issues

Found a vulnerability? Please open a security issue or email the maintainer directly. Do not disclose publicly until patched.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Browser doesn't open

Symptom: Error: Browser not initialized or Chromium launch fails

Solutions:

# Install Chromium for Playwright
npx playwright install chromium

# If that fails, try installing all browsers
npx playwright install

# Check Playwright installation
npx playwright --version

# For Linux, install dependencies
sudo npx playwright install-deps chromium

Audio analysis returns "not connected"

Symptom: Audio analysis shows connected: false

Solutions:

  1. Ensure pattern is playing first:

    You: Play the pattern, wait 2 seconds, then analyze
  2. Reinitialize the browser:

    You: Stop, close the browser, reinitialize, and try again
  3. Check audio context activation:

    • Audio contexts require user interaction on some systems

    • The browser window must be visible (not headless) for first run

Pattern syntax errors

Symptom: Pattern doesn't play or shows errors in console

Solutions:

Common issues:
1. Missing quotes: s(bd*4) โ†’ s("bd*4")
2. Unmatched parentheses: stack(s("bd")) โ†’ stack(s("bd")))
3. Invalid note names: note("h2") โ†’ note("c2")

Test with minimal pattern first:
s("bd*4")

Then build complexity gradually.

MCP connection issues

Symptom: Claude can't find the server or tools

Solutions:

# Verify server is built
npm run build

# Check if server responds
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/list","id":1}' | node dist/index.js

# Should return JSON with 26 tools

# Reinstall MCP server in Claude
claude mcp remove strudel
claude mcp add strudel node $(pwd)/dist/index.js

# Restart Claude
claude chat

Performance issues / Slow response

Symptom: Operations take longer than expected

Solutions:

  1. Enable caching (default, but verify):

    • Editor caching: 100ms TTL

    • Audio analysis: 50ms TTL

  2. Use headless mode for faster operation:

    // config.json
    { "headless": true }
  3. Batch operations:

    Instead of:
    - Add drums
    - Add bass
    - Add melody
    
    Do:
    - Generate complete pattern with drums, bass, and melody
  4. Reduce browser overhead:

    • Close other browser instances

    • Disable browser DevTools

    • Use resource blocking (enabled by default)

Patterns not saving

Symptom: pattern_store({ action: "save" }) fails or patterns don't persist

Solutions:

# Check patterns directory exists
ls -la ./patterns

# Create manually if needed
mkdir -p ./patterns

# Verify write permissions
touch ./patterns/test.json
rm ./patterns/test.json

# Check for invalid pattern names
# Valid: "techno-beat-1", "my_pattern", "track001"
# Invalid: "pattern/with/slashes", "name:with:colons"

Platform-Specific Issues

macOS

# Keyboard shortcut uses Meta (Cmd) key
# Already handled by ControlOrMeta

# If Chromium crashes on M1/M2:
npx playwright install chromium --with-deps

Linux

# Install system dependencies
sudo npx playwright install-deps chromium

# If running in Docker/headless environment:
# Ensure config.json has headless: true

Windows

# Use PowerShell or Git Bash
# Paths should use forward slashes in config.json

# If Chromium doesn't launch:
npx playwright install chromium

Debugging Tips

Enable Verbose Logging

# Set environment variable
DEBUG=* node dist/index.js

# Or in Claude:
You: Enable detailed logging for the next operation

Check Browser State

You: Show me the current browser initialization state
     and any cached patterns

Claude: Browser state:
- Initialized: true
- Cached patterns: 2
- Undo stack depth: 5
- Last operation: edit_pattern (2.5s ago)

Validate Pattern Syntax

You: Before playing, validate this pattern syntax:
     s("bd*4, ~ cp ~ cp")

Claude: [Checks syntax]
Valid Strudel pattern.
Ready to play.

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered here:

  1. Check existing issues: GitHub Issues

  2. Run integration tests: npm run test:integration

  3. Enable debug mode: DEBUG=* npm start

  4. Consult Strudel docs: Strudel.cc documentation

  5. Create new issue: Include error messages, OS, Node version, and steps to reproduce

Contributing

PRs welcome โ€” bug fixes, docs, tests, new tools. See CONTRIBUTING.md for the contribution guide and DEVELOPMENT.md for setup and workflow.

For non-trivial work, open a GitHub issue first (issue policy in CLAUDE.md). For typos and small fixes, a PR directly is fine.

GitHub Discussions are open for use-case questions and design conversations.

License

AGPL-3.0-or-later โ€” see LICENSE for the full text.

This project depends on @strudel/core, @strudel/mini, @strudel/tonal, and @strudel/transpiler, which are AGPL-3.0 licensed by the upstream Strudel project. Since we import from those packages and redistribute the combined work via npm, this project must be distributed under the same copyleft terms. If you fork or redistribute, you must keep the AGPL license and provide source access to any network-accessible users (AGPL ยง13).

Earlier versions of this package (including @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server prior to deprecation) shipped with an MIT declaration โ€” that was incorrect given the AGPL dependencies. v2.0.0 of @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp corrects the license to AGPL-3.0-or-later. v1.0.0 of this package is deprecated; install v2.0.0 or later (current: v4.0.0).

Acknowledgments

  • Strudel.cc โ€” pattern-based live coding environment (this project is a fan adapter, not affiliated)

  • TidalCycles โ€” original pattern language Strudel descends from

  • Anthropic โ€” Claude and the MCP protocol

  • Playwright โ€” browser automation


v4.0.0 โ€” Open source, AGPL-3.0-or-later, experimental | Report issues | Contribute

This project is under active development. Core features work, but expect bugs and breaking changes. Not recommended for production use.

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