laive-mcp is an MCP server and install toolchain for controlling Ableton Live through a real Live bridge.
The published npm package is laive-mcp.
The Ableton Control Surface name is laive.
laive gives an agent a bridge-backed way to inspect and control a running Live set.
It installs:
- a Python Remote Script into Ableton Live
- an MCP stdio server agents can launch with
npx - an optional Max for Live sidecar
- an optional macOS UI helper for fallback workflows
Grouped capability summary:
- Project and set reads: project summary, selected context, tracks, clips, devices, parameters
- Arrangement workflows: arrangement summaries, arrangement loop and transport-region control, and arrangement-clip editing primitives including trim, move, and split
- Session workflows: create clips and scenes, edit notes, launch clips and scenes, stop clip playback
- Mixer and routing: return/master discovery, send levels, monitor state, routing, return-track creation
- Device workflows: browser-backed device loading, parameter writes, enum-label targeting where metadata exists
- Optional helpers: sidecar placement, selected-clip transforms, device snapshot/restore, and sidecar/UI-helper workflow setup guidance
Full feature breakdown:
Prerequisites:
- macOS
- Ableton Live 11 or newer
- Node 18.16 or newer
python3onPATH
Install the bridge and helper artifacts:
npx -y laive-mcp@latest doctor
npx -y laive-mcp@latest install --applyThen in Ableton Live:
- Open
Preferences. - Go to
Link, Tempo & MIDI. - In a
Control Surfaceslot, chooselaive.
To add laive to an MCP client, use:
{
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "laive-mcp@latest", "mcp"]
}You can print the published MCP config from the CLI:
npx -y laive-mcp@latest mcp-config --json --publishedMore install details, optional sidecar/UI-helper setup, and troubleshooting:
Current planned work is tracked here:
For local setup, source-checkout usage, tests, and more technical docs: