Show HN: Ableton Live MCP

Source: Hacker News

Overview

Ever wanted to control Ableton with just your voice? Me too! I made this MCP server so I could just ask Codex to do anything in Ableton Live for me while I was nap‑trapped by my baby.

Unlike other Ableton MCPs I tried, this one can do pretty much anything that is possible via Ableton’s Object model; the agent can eval arbitrary Python that runs inside Ableton. It also includes tools for common tasks, making them faster and more reliable. I had Codex CLI optimize this for hours with the new /goal command to prioritize low end‑to‑end latency, high reliability, low token usage, while maintaining full flexibility.

How to set up

Just tell your AI agent (Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, Gemini, etc.) to Set up the https://github.com/bschoepke/ableton-live-mcp MCP server for me.

It should work on macOS and Windows with recent Ableton versions, but I have only tested it on Ableton Live Suite 12.3.8 on macOS Tahoe.

Warning: Back up your Live Set before using this. The MCP can edit your set directly and could corrupt it.

Demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dRRrIY7NI0

The chat messages I sent to Codex to make this:

• in ableton, make a self reflective song, with audio vocals (via macos say) and chip tunes and 80’s drum machines. should be a real edm banger
• i want midi for everything but vocals please, with ableton devices. not prerendered audio for instruments
• needs some fills
• and should hit way harder after “3-2-1 i become the sound”
• the vocals are squished too much (read too quickly), give them a little more length
• add some dynamics, the song is basically one volume. and some pumping side chain
• improve dynamics of the clap, seems a bit flat and indistinguished, want it harder after the 3-2-1 drop
• introduce a new element on a new track after the 3-2-1 drop, that comes in but then recedes before the final exit
• doesn’t seem like the new thing has any notes
• the element is a bit muddy/indistinct. perhaps it needs simplification and more space, different instrument choice, i dunno

Ideas

• Control your external synthesizers and hardware with the MCP.
• Tell it to use third‑party plugins (VSTs, Audio Units) like Serum and Keyscape.
• Incorporate your existing vocal samples, asking the agent to trim silence and transcribe them before creatively using them in your Live set.
• Set up crazy user‑controlled DJ effects.
• Experiment with VJ plugins like Videosync to make music videos driven by your Live set.