Talkback

io.github.jmedurePublished by GitHub account jmedurev0.1.3Updated Oct 24, 2026

Chat with your Ableton session in real-time.

VerifiedSTDIODesktop onlyDeveloper ToolsMedia & Design

Overview

AI-generated overview

MCP server that connects an AI assistant to a live Ableton Live session, letting it read tracks, adjust device parameters and analyze the mix.

What you can do
  • Read the session: full track list with volumes, panning, mutes, sends, devices and routing, plus deep per-track device parameters
  • Analyze the mix: heuristic checks for frequency buildup, dynamics, headroom and routing issues, and short spectral snapshots of the master bus
  • Change the session: set device parameters in human-readable units, bypass devices for A/B, create group tracks and reroute track outputs
  • Inspect the setup: list installed AU and VST3 plugins and report bridge performance metrics
When to use it
Useful for music producers working in Ableton Live who want to ask questions about their session, get mix feedback, or make parameter changes by conversation instead of clicking through devices.
Requirements
Runs locally as an npm package via npx, needing Node.js 18+ and a desktop MCP client such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Cursor (not browser chat). Ableton Live 11+ with Max for Live and the talkback Max for Live bridge device on the master track, toggled on. The WS_PORT environment variable sets the WebSocket port (default 8765).
Before you install
The server can change your session: it sets device parameters, bypasses devices, creates group tracks and alters routing, so review proposed changes before approving them. It reads your full session state and plugin library and captures live audio from the master bus. The README's quick-start installs via a shell script fetched from the web, which you should inspect before running.

Installation

In SourceWeft

  1. Open Talkback in the dashboard and add it to a workspace.
  2. Enable the server for the chats that should use its tools.

Desktop only via STDIO. STDIO servers start a local process, so they need the SourceWeft desktop host.

Other MCP clients

Follow the launch instructions in the repository.

README

talkback mcp

Chat with your Ableton session in natural language. Go deeper in your mix, make it sound like it does in your head, and finally understand compression... jk no one can teach you that.

Talkback is an MCP server and Max for Live device that gives AI assistants real-time access to your Ableton Live session — read tracks, adjust parameters, analyze your mix, and get spectral snapshots, all through conversation.

talkback.createwcare.com  ·  Docs  ·  Changelog

How it works

Ableton Live ↔ M4L Bridge ↔ WebSocket ↔ MCP Server ↔ Claude / Cursor / etc.
  1. talkback bridge — a Max for Live device on your master track that reads the Live Object Model and streams session data over WebSocket
  2. talkback-mcp (this package) — an MCP server that exposes your session as tools any LLM can use

Quick start

The fastest way to get set up — installs the MCP server and configures Claude Desktop automatically:

bash
curl -fsSL https://talkback.createwcare.com/install.sh | bash

Already in an AI agent? Let it set things up for you:

bash
npx skills add jmedure/talkback-mcp

Then ask your agent: "Help me set up talkback"

Requires Node.js 18+. See the full setup guide for more options.

1. Install the Max for Live device

Download talkback-bridge (latest) and drop it onto your master track in Ableton. Make sure the device is toggled on.

2. Add the MCP server

Talkback requires a desktop MCP client — it runs locally on your machine and connects to Ableton over WebSocket. It does not work with claude.ai in the browser (web chat doesn't support local MCP servers yet).

Claude Desktop (recommended)

Download Claude Desktop, then add to your config:

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows)

json
{  "mcpServers": {    "talkback-mcp": {      "command": "npx",      "args": ["-y", "talkback-mcp"],      "env": { "WS_PORT": "8765" }    }  }}

Restart Claude Desktop after saving.

Using nvm or fnm? Claude Desktop doesn't load your shell profile, so it may pick up an old system Node. Use the full path to npx instead — run which npx in Terminal, then set that as "command" in the config above. See troubleshooting for details.

Claude Code
bash
claude mcp add --transport stdio talkback-mcp -- npx -y talkback-mcp
Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json in your project root:

json
{  "mcpServers": {    "talkback-mcp": {      "command": "npx",      "args": ["-y", "talkback-mcp"],      "env": { "WS_PORT": "8765" }    }  }}
Other clients (Windsurf, etc.)

Point your client at npx -y talkback-mcp as the server command with WS_PORT=8765 as an environment variable.

Or use add-mcp to auto-configure all your installed agents:

bash
npx add-mcp "npx -y talkback-mcp"

3. Start chatting

Open your LLM and start asking about your session:

  • "What's going on in my session?"
  • "My bass sounds muddy, can you help?"
  • "Cut 3 dB at 300 Hz on the vocal EQ"
  • "Does my mix have any obvious problems?"

Your LLM will ask for approval before making any parameter changes. Undo always works.

Tools

ToolWhat it does
get_session_contextReads your full session — tracks, volumes, panning, mutes, sends, devices, routing
get_track_detailsDeep-dives a single track with every device parameter in human-readable units
get_spectral_snapshotCaptures ~2s of live audio from master bus with peak/RMS per frequency band
get_plugin_libraryLists all installed AU and VST3 plugins on your system
analyze_mixRuns heuristic checks for frequency buildup, dynamics, headroom, and routing issues
set_device_parameterChanges a device parameter using human-readable units (dB, ms, Hz, etc.)
toggle_device_bypassEnables or bypasses a device for A/B comparison
create_group_trackCreates a new group track containing specified tracks
set_track_routingChanges a track's output routing to another track or bus
get_bridge_healthReturns bridge performance metrics from the M4L device

Requirements

  • Ableton Live 11+ with Max for Live
  • Node.js 18+
  • A desktop MCP client — Claude Desktop (recommended), Claude Code, Cursor, or similar

Environment variables

VariableDefaultDescription
WS_PORT8765WebSocket port for bridge connection

License

PolyForm Shield 1.0.0 — free to use, modify, and distribute. You may not use this software to build a competing product.

Source: README.md at commit 0db664d

Tools

0
SourceWeft has not started this package in its sandbox yet, so its tools are not known.

Version history

1
  1. v0.1.3LatestSep 16, 2026

Score

40% of the applicable checks met

How complete this listing is, computed from the registry entry, the endpoint and public sources. Not a rating of the server and not a statement that it is safe or working today: reachability is a dated check, and no installs or reviews go into the score.

  • Reached in the last 30 days25 pts

    Keep the endpoint answering the MCP handshake; SourceWeft probes it every 30 days.

  • Auth declared10 pts

    Declare the credential headers in the registry entry, or keep the endpoint answering the probe so its auth can be classified.

  • Tools listed15 pts

    Answer tools/list without a credential, or ship a package that starts in a sandbox without one.

  • DescriptionRequired15 pts
  • Logo10 pts
  • Documentation15 pts
  • License10 pts

    Declare a license in the repository or the registry entry.