Ableton Copilot
An MCP server built on ableton-js enables AI assistants to control Ableton Live in real time, including Arrangement View operations such as song management, track control, MIDI editing, and audio recording, along with other capabilities.
What is Ableton Copilot?
Ableton Copilot is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server built on ableton-js enables ai assistants to control ableton live in real time, including arrangement view operations such as song management, track control, midi editing, and audio recordi...
An MCP server built on ableton-js enables AI assistants to control Ableton Live in real time, including Arrangement View operations such as song management, track control, MIDI editing, and audio recording, along with other capabilities.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- An MCP server built on ableton-js enables AI assistants to c
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx ableton-copilot-mcpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Ableton Copilot
Ableton Copilot MCP wraps the ableton-js library as an MCP server, giving AI assistants real-time control over Ableton Live 12. Through a MIDI Remote Script bridge, it exposes tools for song-level control (tempo, time signature), track management, MIDI clip and note editing, audio recording, and device parameter manipulation — enabling musicians and producers to compose, arrange, and produce music through natural language commands.
Prerequisites
- Node.js v20 or higher with npx available
- Ableton Live 12 installed and running (Live 11/10 not officially tested)
- The AbletonJS MIDI Remote Script installed in your Ableton User Library's Remote Scripts folder
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
Install the MIDI Remote Scripts into Ableton
Run the install-scripts command via npx. This downloads and places the AbletonJS MIDI Remote Scripts in the correct location in your Ableton User Library.
npx @xiaolaa2/ableton-copilot-mcp --install-scriptsEnable the AbletonJS control surface in Ableton Live
Open Ableton Live, go to Preferences > Link/MIDI. In the MIDI tab, find the Control Surface dropdown and select 'AbletonJS'. This activates the bridge that the MCP server communicates through.
Add the server to your MCP client configuration
Open your MCP client's config file and add the ableton-copilot-mcp entry. The BASE_PATH env var sets where the server stores temporary files; set it to an absolute path that exists on your system.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ableton-copilot-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@xiaolaa2/ableton-copilot-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"BASE_PATH": "/Users/yourname/ableton_copilot_mcp"
}
}
}
}Restart your MCP client with Ableton Live open
Make sure Ableton Live is running and AbletonJS is active (you should see it listed in the MIDI control surfaces). Then restart Claude Desktop or your MCP client so it picks up the new server.
Test the connection with a simple command
Ask the assistant to read the current song tempo or list tracks. A successful response confirms the MCP server is communicating with Ableton Live.
Ableton Copilot Examples
Client configuration
Complete claude_desktop_config.json entry for Ableton Copilot MCP. Ableton Live must be open and AbletonJS control surface enabled for the server to work.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ableton-copilot-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@xiaolaa2/ableton-copilot-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"BASE_PATH": "/Users/yourname/ableton_copilot_mcp"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Natural language prompts for controlling Ableton Live through the Ableton Copilot MCP tools.
- "Set the song tempo to 128 BPM"
- "Add a new MIDI track and name it 'Lead Synth'"
- "Create a 4-bar MIDI clip on track 1 and add a C major chord progression"
- "Arm track 2 for recording and start recording"
- "Undo the last note edit on the Lead Synth track"Troubleshooting Ableton Copilot
MCP server starts but cannot connect to Ableton Live
Verify that AbletonJS is selected as a Control Surface in Ableton Preferences > Link/MIDI. Ableton Live must be running before or at the same time as the MCP server. If the connection drops, restarting Live while keeping the MCP client open usually reconnects automatically.
install-scripts command fails or Remote Scripts are not found by Ableton
Manually download the MIDI Remote Scripts from the ableton-js GitHub repository and place the 'AbletonJS' folder inside your Ableton User Library's Remote Scripts directory (typically ~/Music/Ableton/User Library/Remote Scripts/ on macOS). Restart Ableton Live after placing the files.
Operations fail on Ableton Live 11 or 10
The server targets Ableton Live 12. Functionality on older versions is untested and not officially supported. If you must use an older version, try the underlying ableton-js library directly to see which API calls are available, and expect some MCP tools to fail.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ableton Copilot
What is Ableton Copilot?
Ableton Copilot is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server built on ableton-js enables ai assistants to control ableton live in real time, including arrangement view operations such as song management, track control, midi editing, and audio recording, along with other capabilities. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Ableton Copilot?
Follow the installation instructions on the Ableton Copilot GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Ableton Copilot?
Ableton Copilot works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Ableton Copilot free to use?
Yes, Ableton Copilot is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
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