python

Scripting Ableton Live without Claude

LiveBridge is also a plain remote-control API for Live: a TCP server inside Live that speaks newline-delimited JSON (docs/PROTOCOL.md). The MCP tools Claude uses (live_*) are a layer on top of these bridge commands (transport.set, notes.write_pattern, browser.load, …), which you can call from your own scripts, generative tools, controllers or another language.

Script	What it shows
hello_live.py	connect with the MCP server's client and settings; print Live's version, tempo and tracks
beat.py	a 4-bar house beat from a script: tempo, a drum kit from the browser, a step pattern, optionally play it
raw_protocol.py	the wire protocol with only the standard library: one JSON line out, one JSON line back

Run them

LiveBridge must be installed and enabled in Live (quick start). The first two import the livebridge_mcp package, so run them with the MCP server's Python, which the installer puts in ~/.livebridge/venv:

~/.livebridge/venv/bin/python examples/python/hello_live.py

~/.livebridge/venv/bin/python examples/python/beat.py --tempo 126 --play

On Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.livebridge\venv\Scripts\python.exe examples\python\hello_live.py. raw_protocol.py runs with any Python 3.

Output of hello_live.py on the set from example 1:

Ableton Live 12.4.5 suite · LiveBridge 1.0.0 · 200 commands
124 BPM · 4/4 · stopped
  song.tracks[0]           midi    Drums
  song.tracks[1]           midi    Bass
  song.tracks[2]           midi    Pad
  song.return_tracks[0]    return  A-Reverb
  song.return_tracks[1]    return  B-Delay
  song.master_track        master  Main

Find the commands

• All 200 commands with their parameters, and the MCP tool behind each one: the Bridge commands table.
• At runtime: client.request("system.commands"), or ask Claude for live_commands.
• Bridge commands take the same argument forms as the tools (track names, "17.1.1" positions, display values such as "-6 dB"). A few are stricter than the tool layer: browser.load wants new_track="midi" where live_browser_load also accepts true.
• Many commands in one round trip and one undo step: system.batch (example 8).

The token in ~/.livebridge/config.json is required whenever the Remote Script has one (always in LAN mode). Anyone with it can control Live, including running Python inside Live when allow_eval is on, so keep it private.