REAPER
A Model Context Protocol server that exposes REAPER digital audio workstation functionality through a clean API interface, enabling programmatic control of 169+ REAPER operations across track management, MIDI editing, effects, automation and more.
What is REAPER?
REAPER is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to model context protocol server that exposes reaper digital audio workstation functionality through a clean api interface, enabling programmatic control of 169+ reaper operations across track management...
A Model Context Protocol server that exposes REAPER digital audio workstation functionality through a clean API interface, enabling programmatic control of 169+ REAPER operations across track management, MIDI editing, effects, automation and more.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A Model Context Protocol server that exposes REAPER digital
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx reaper-mcp-serverConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use REAPER
REAPER MCP Server is a Python-based Model Context Protocol server that exposes the REAPER digital audio workstation's functionality through a clean API, enabling AI assistants to control and analyze audio projects programmatically. It provides tools for discovering and parsing REAPER project files (.RPP), inventorying installed plugins and effects, and performing detailed audio analysis including peak levels, LUFS loudness, frequency content, stereo imaging, and phase coherence — making it possible to ask Claude to audit a mix or manage a session hands-free.
Prerequisites
- REAPER digital audio workstation installed on your machine
- Python 3.10+ and uv (the fast Python package manager) installed
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop
- REAPER project files (.RPP) accessible in a known directory on your system
Clone the repository
Clone the reaper-mcp-server repository to your local machine.
git clone https://github.com/dschuler36/reaper-mcp-server.git
cd reaper-mcp-serverCreate a virtual environment and install dependencies
Use uv to create a virtual environment and install the package and its dependencies.
uv venv
source .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install .Configure the Claude Desktop config
Edit the setup/claude_desktop_config.json example file with the actual path to your uv binary and your REAPER projects directory, then copy it to your Claude Desktop configuration location.
{
"mcpServers": {
"reaper": {
"command": "/path/to/uv",
"args": [
"run",
"--directory",
"/path/to/reaper-mcp-server",
"python",
"-m",
"reaper_mcp_server.server"
],
"env": {
"REAPER_PROJECTS_DIR": "/Users/yourname/Documents/REAPER Media"
}
}
}
}Enable the reaper MCP connector in Claude Desktop
Restart Claude Desktop after saving the configuration. Navigate to the chat interface and enable the 'reaper' MCP connector from the tools/connectors panel.
Test with a project discovery query
Ask Claude to find your REAPER projects and parse one. Always include the project name when asking Claude about specific sessions — this routes the request to the correct .RPP file.
REAPER Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for the REAPER MCP Server using uv.
{
"mcpServers": {
"reaper": {
"command": "/path/to/uv",
"args": [
"run",
"--directory",
"/path/to/reaper-mcp-server",
"python",
"-m",
"reaper_mcp_server.server"
],
"env": {
"REAPER_PROJECTS_DIR": "/Users/yourname/Documents/REAPER Media"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts for controlling and analyzing REAPER projects through Claude.
- "Find all my REAPER projects and list them with their tempo and track count"
- "Analyze all audio files in my 'Rock Song' project and flag any tracks that are clipping"
- "Check the vocal tracks in 'Live Session 2025' for loudness — are they within streaming standards?"
- "List all installed VST3 plugins on my system that match 'reverb'"
- "Parse the 'Podcast Episode 12' project and tell me the effects chain on the main vocal track"Troubleshooting REAPER
'uv' command not found when Claude Desktop tries to start the server
Claude Desktop may not inherit your shell PATH. Use the absolute path to the uv binary in the command field. Find it by running which uv in your terminal, then paste that full path (e.g., /Users/yourname/.cargo/bin/uv) into the config.
find_reaper_projects returns an empty list
Verify that the REAPER_PROJECTS_DIR environment variable points to the correct directory where your .RPP files are stored. The path must be absolute and accessible to the user running Claude Desktop. Check REAPER's Preferences > General to confirm your default project directory.
Audio analysis reports unexpected clipping warnings
The server flags peaks above -0.3 dBFS as clipping risks. This is intentional for safety headroom. If your master bus intentionally clips for loudness reasons, note that streaming platforms apply normalization — the -14 LUFS target in the analysis reflects standard streaming loudness requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions about REAPER
What is REAPER?
REAPER is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that model context protocol server that exposes reaper digital audio workstation functionality through a clean api interface, enabling programmatic control of 169+ reaper operations across track management, midi editing, effects, automation and more. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install REAPER?
Follow the installation instructions on the REAPER GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with REAPER?
REAPER works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is REAPER free to use?
Yes, REAPER 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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