MIDI
An MCP server that enables AI models to control electronic music instruments by sending MIDI messages to hardware synths and drum machines. It supports various MIDI commands including notes, control changes, and system exclusive messages through USB
What is MIDI?
MIDI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server that enables ai models to control electronic music instruments by sending midi messages to hardware synths and drum machines. it supports various midi commands including notes, control chan...
An MCP server that enables AI models to control electronic music instruments by sending MIDI messages to hardware synths and drum machines. It supports various MIDI commands including notes, control changes, and system exclusive messages through USB
This server falls under the Business Applications category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- An MCP server that enables AI models to control electronic m
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx midiConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use MIDI
midi-mcp is a Python MCP server built with FastMCP that lets AI models control real electronic music instruments by sending MIDI messages over USB or DIN MIDI connections. It exposes ten tools covering port management, note on/off, control changes, program changes, pitch bend, and SysEx — giving Claude or any MCP client the ability to play hardware synthesizers, drum machines, and other MIDI-capable gear through natural language. Musicians and developers use it to experiment with AI-directed music performance and instrument automation.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.10+ with the uv package manager installed (pip install uv or https://docs.astral.sh/uv/)
- A MIDI interface or USB-MIDI device connected to your computer
- The midi-mcp repository cloned locally (the package uses a local directory install via uv)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Code or Claude Desktop
Clone the repository
Clone the midi-mcp repository to a local directory. The server is run directly from this directory using uv.
git clone https://github.com/pnilan/midi-mcp
cd midi-mcpInstall dependencies with uv
Run uv sync inside the repository to install mcp[cli], mido, and python-rtmidi into an isolated virtual environment.
uv syncConnect your MIDI device
Plug in your USB-MIDI interface or synthesizer before starting the server. The python-rtmidi backend will enumerate all available MIDI output ports at startup.
Register midi-mcp with Claude Code
Add the server to Claude Code using the mcp add command, pointing to the cloned repository directory.
claude mcp add midi-mcp -- uv --directory /path/to/midi-mcp run midi-mcpOr configure via JSON for Claude Desktop
For Claude Desktop, add an entry to claude_desktop_config.json using the uv --directory form so the server finds its dependencies.
{
"mcpServers": {
"midi-mcp": {
"command": "uv",
"args": ["--directory", "/absolute/path/to/midi-mcp", "run", "midi-mcp"]
}
}
}MIDI Examples
Client configuration
claude_desktop_config.json entry for midi-mcp. Replace /absolute/path/to/midi-mcp with your actual clone path.
{
"mcpServers": {
"midi-mcp": {
"command": "uv",
"args": ["--directory", "/Users/you/midi-mcp", "run", "midi-mcp"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts that exercise the MIDI port and message tools.
- "List all available MIDI output ports on my computer"
- "Open the MIDI port named 'Korg Minilogue' and play a C major chord"
- "Send a note on message: channel 1, note 60 (middle C), velocity 100"
- "Change the program on channel 10 to preset 25 (acoustic guitar)"
- "Send a SysEx message to reset my synthesizer"Troubleshooting MIDI
No MIDI ports found — list_midi_ports returns empty
Make sure your USB-MIDI device is plugged in and recognized by the OS before starting the server. On macOS, check Audio MIDI Setup; on Linux, check 'aconnect -l' to confirm the device appears.
uv sync fails with python-rtmidi build errors
python-rtmidi requires a C++ compiler and RtMidi system libraries. On macOS install Xcode Command Line Tools ('xcode-select --install'); on Ubuntu run 'sudo apt install libasound2-dev'.
Notes are not audible despite send_note_on succeeding
Verify the correct MIDI port is open with get_midi_status, that your synthesizer is set to receive on the same MIDI channel you are sending to, and that local volume and master volume are not at zero.
Frequently Asked Questions about MIDI
What is MIDI?
MIDI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server that enables ai models to control electronic music instruments by sending midi messages to hardware synths and drum machines. it supports various midi commands including notes, control changes, and system exclusive messages through usb It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install MIDI?
Follow the installation instructions on the MIDI GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with MIDI?
MIDI works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is MIDI free to use?
Yes, MIDI is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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