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Live Coding Music MCP

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that gives Claude direct control over Strudel.cc for AI-assisted music generation and live coding.

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live-coding-music-mcp

🎵 MCP server for AI-assisted live-coding music via strudel.cc

Unofficial fan project. Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Strudel project. This adapter exists to make live-coding music accessible to beginners who want to try pattern-based music without learning the whole ecosystem first.

Status: Beta | 77% test coverage | Published to npm | Actively developed

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that drives Strudel.cc from Claude for AI-assisted live-coding music, pattern generation, and algorithmic composition.

Current State: Beta. The core workflow (init → generate → write → play → analyze) works reliably with real audio output and has 1470 passing tests covering 77% of statements. CI is hardened with OpenSSF Scorecard, SHA-pinned actions, CODEOWNERS, and Dependabot. Known coverage gaps exist (notably AudioCaptureService at 33% and AudioAnalyzer branch coverage at 48%) — see open issues for the full list.

What "Beta" means here:

Tool schemas are stable within minor versions; breaking changes require a major bump
Single-browser-session limitation (multi-session tracked in #108)
Upstream @strudel/* dependencies pinned to known-good versions; Dependabot bumps gated on CI
Expect hands-on iteration for non-standard patterns — report rough edges, they get fixed

Features
Installation
Quick Reference
Quick Start
Available Tools
Usage Examples
Architecture
Advanced Usage
Configuration
Security
Troubleshooting
Development
Contributing

Features

🎹 Complete Music Control

65 MCP Tools: Comprehensive suite for music creation and manipulation
Real Browser Automation: Direct control of Strudel.cc through Playwright
Live Audio Analysis: Real-time frequency analysis via Web Audio API
Pattern Generation: AI-powered creation across 8+ music genres
Music Theory Engine: Scales, chords, progressions, euclidean rhythms
Session Management: Save, load, undo/redo with pattern storage

🔧 Testing & Development Status

✅ Test Suite: Comprehensive test coverage across unit, integration, and validation tests
✅ Code Coverage: Actively tracked via CI
✅ Browser Integration: Works with live Strudel.cc website
✅ Audio Analysis: Real-time FFT analysis functional
✅ Pattern Generation: Core music generation features working
✅ OIDC Publishing: Secure npm publishing with provenance attestation

Not Production-Ready: This is experimental software under active development. Use for exploration and experimentation. Expect breaking changes, bugs, and incomplete features. See CONTRIBUTING.md to help improve it.

🎼 Example Patterns

Explore 17 curated example patterns across 10 genres in patterns/examples/:

Techno: Hard techno, minimal techno
House: Deep house, tech house
Drum & Bass: Liquid, neurofunk
Ambient: Dark ambient, drone
Trap: Modern trap, cloud trap
Jungle: Classic jungle, ragga jungle
Jazz: Bebop, modal jazz
Intelligent DnB: Atmospheric, liquid, LTJ Bukem style
Trip Hop: Portishead, Massive Attack, Flying Lotus style
Boom Bap: DJ Premier, Alchemist, golden era hip hop

Each example includes pattern code, BPM, key, and description. See patterns/examples/README.md for details.

Migrating from `@williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server`

This project was renamed from @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server to @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp to make the unofficial fan-project status unambiguous (see #97). The old package is deprecated on npm.

If you were using the old package:

# Remove old
npm uninstall -g @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server

# Install new
npm install -g @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp

Update your MCP client config. The bin name changed from strudel-mcp to live-coding-music-mcp:

// BEFORE
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "strudel": { "command": "strudel-mcp" }
  }
}

// AFTER
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "live-coding-music": { "command": "live-coding-music-mcp" }
  }
}

The MCP server's internal identity string also changed from strudel-mcp-enhanced to live-coding-music-mcp. If you have a client that keys on that string (logs, allowlists, permission policies), update it accordingly.

All tool names and schemas are unchanged.

Installation

Prerequisites

Requirement	Version	Notes
Node.js	22.x+	LTS required
npm	10+	Comes with Node.js
Chromium	Latest	Auto-installed by Playwright
Audio output	Any	Required for playback (speakers/headphones)

Optional: Docker for containerized deployment.

From npm

npm install -g @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp

# Install browser (required once)
npx playwright install chromium

From Source

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp.git
cd live-coding-music-mcp

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Install Chromium for browser automation
npx playwright install chromium

# Build the project
npm run build

Quick Reference

Common commands for immediate use:

Action	Command
Initialize browser	`init`
Create techno beat	`generate_pattern` with `style: "techno"`
Play pattern	`play`
Stop playback	`stop`
Get current pattern	`get_pattern`
Analyze audio	`analyze`
Save pattern	`save` with `name: "my-pattern"`
Undo last change	`undo`

One-shot workflow:

compose with style: "dnb", key: "Am", bpm: 174, auto_play: true

Quick Start

1. Add to Claude

# If installed globally
claude mcp add strudel live-coding-music-mcp

# If built from source
claude mcp add strudel node /path/to/live-coding-music-mcp/dist/index.js

2. Start Using

claude chat

Then ask Claude:

"Initialize Strudel and create a techno beat"
"Generate a jazz chord progression in F major"
"Create a drum & bass pattern at 174 BPM"

Available Tools

66 tools across 15 categories:

Setup (1)

Tool	Description
`init`	Initialize Strudel in browser

Pattern Editing (5)

Tool	Description
`write`	Write pattern to editor with optional auto-play and validation
`append`	Append code to current pattern
`insert`	Insert code at specific line
`replace`	Replace pattern section
`get_pattern`	Get current pattern code

Playback (6)

Tool	Description
`status`	Get current browser and playback status (quick state check)
`clear`	Clear the editor
`play`	Start playing pattern
`pause`	Pause playback
`stop`	Stop playback
`set_tempo`	Set BPM

Storage (3)

Tool	Description
`save`	Save pattern with metadata
`load`	Load saved pattern
`list`	List saved patterns

History (4)

Tool	Description
`undo`	Undo last action
`redo`	Redo action
`list_history`	List recent pattern history with timestamps and previews
`restore_history`	Restore a previous pattern from history by ID

Generation (8)

Tool	Description
`compose`	Generate, write, and play a complete pattern in one step. Auto-initializes browser if needed.
`generate_pattern`	Generate complete pattern from style with optional auto-play
`generate_drums`	Generate drum pattern
`generate_bassline`	Generate bassline
`generate_melody`	Generate melody from scale
`generate_polyrhythm`	Generate polyrhythm
`generate_fill`	Generate drum fill
`generate_variation`	Create pattern variations

Music Theory (4)

Tool	Description
`generate_scale`	Generate scale notes
`generate_chord_progression`	Generate chord progression
`generate_euclidean`	Generate Euclidean rhythm
`apply_scale`	Apply scale to notes

Transform (9)

Tool	Description
`transpose`	Transpose notes by semitones
`reverse`	Reverse pattern
`stretch`	Time stretch pattern
`quantize`	Quantize to grid
`humanize`	Add human timing variation
`add_effect`	Add effect to pattern
`remove_effect`	Remove effect
`add_swing`	Add swing to pattern
`set_energy`	Adjust the overall energy level of the current pattern on a 0-10 scale. 0: minimal/ambient, 1-2: sparse, 3-4: light/relaxed, 5-6: normal/moderate, 7-8: driving/intense, 9-10: maximum. Auto-plays after applying energy level.

AI (4)

Tool	Description
`get_pattern_feedback`	Get AI-powered creative feedback on the current pattern using Google Gemini. Analyzes pattern structure and optionally audio.
`jam_with`	AI generates a complementary layer to jam with your pattern. Analyzes current pattern to detect tempo, key, and existing layers, then generates a matching layer that fits musically.
`shift_mood`	Transform current pattern to match a different emotional mood by adjusting tempo, effects, and note choices. Moods: dark, euphoric, melancholic, aggressive, dreamy, peaceful, energetic.
`refine`	Incrementally refine the current pattern with simple directional commands. Supports: faster/slower (tempo), louder/quieter (gain), brighter/darker (filter cutoff), "more reverb"/drier (reverb). Auto-plays after applying refinement.

Analysis (7)

Tool	Description
`analyze`	Complete audio analysis
`analyze_spectrum`	FFT spectrum analysis
`analyze_rhythm`	Rhythm analysis
`detect_tempo`	BPM detection
`detect_key`	Key detection
`validate_pattern_runtime`	Validate pattern with runtime error checking (monitors Strudel console for errors)
`compare_patterns`	Compare two patterns from history showing differences

Session (4)

Tool	Description
`create_session`	Create a new isolated Strudel browser session. Sessions share one browser but have isolated contexts.
`destroy_session`	Close and destroy a Strudel session, releasing its resources.
`list_sessions`	List all active Strudel sessions with their metadata.
`switch_session`	Change the default session used by other tools.

Export (2)

Tool	Description
`export_midi`	Export current pattern to MIDI file. Parses note(), n(), and chord() functions.
`screenshot`	Take a screenshot of the current Strudel editor state

Audio (3)

Tool	Description
`start_audio_capture`	Start capturing audio from Strudel output. Audio must be playing for capture to work.
`stop_audio_capture`	Stop audio capture and return the recorded audio as base64-encoded data.
`capture_audio_sample`	Capture a fixed-duration audio sample from Strudel output. Audio must be playing.

Debug (5)

Tool	Description
`show_browser`	Bring browser window to foreground for visual feedback
`performance_report`	Get performance metrics and bottlenecks
`memory_usage`	Get current memory usage statistics
`diagnostics`	Get detailed browser diagnostics including cache, errors, and performance
`show_errors`	Display captured console errors and warnings from Strudel

Other (1)

Tool	Description
`suggest_pattern_from_audio`	Analyze the currently playing audio and suggest a complementary Strudel pattern using Gemini AI. Extracts tempo, key, and spectral features locally, then uses AI to generate a matching pattern. Returns pattern text (not auto-executed).

Auto-generated from source. 66 tools registered.

Usage Examples

Basic Pattern Creation

Create a Simple Beat

You: Initialize Strudel and create a simple techno beat

Claude: [Initializes browser]
        [Generates and writes pattern]
        [Starts playback]

Pattern created:
setcpm(130)
stack(
  s("bd*4"),
  s("~ cp ~ cp"),
  s("hh*8").gain(0.4)
).gain(0.8)

Generate a Bassline

You: Add a techno bassline in C

Claude: [Generates bassline]
        [Appends to current pattern]

Added: note("c2 c2 c2 c2").s("sawtooth").cutoff(800)

Advanced Music Generation

Jazz Composition

You: Create a jazz progression in F major with a walking bass

Claude: Generated progression: "Gm7" "C7" "Fmaj7"

Pattern:
stack(
  note("Gm7" "C7" "Fmaj7").struct("1 ~ ~ ~").s("piano"),
  note("g2 c2 f2").s("sine").gain(0.7)
)

Drum & Bass Track

You: Generate a complete drum & bass track at 174 BPM

Claude: [Creates multi-layer pattern with drums, bass, and pads]

// dnb pattern in C at 174 BPM
setcpm(174)
stack(
  // Drums
  s("bd ~ ~ [bd bd] ~ ~ bd ~, ~ ~ cp ~ ~ cp ~ ~").fast(2),

  // Bass
  note("c1 ~ ~ c2 ~ c1 ~ ~").s("square").cutoff(400),

  // Pads (atmospheric)
  note("c3 eb3 g3 bb3").s("sawtooth")
    .attack(2).release(4).room(0.8).gain(0.6)
)

Real-Time Manipulation

Live Audio Analysis

You: Analyze what's playing and show me the frequency breakdown

Claude: Audio Analysis Results:
{
  "connected": true,
  "features": {
    "average": 78.5,
    "peak": 180,
    "peakFrequency": 120,
    "bass": 145,
    "mid": 82,
    "treble": 45,
    "isPlaying": true,
    "brightness": "balanced"
  }
}

Strong bass presence detected - typical for techno/house patterns.

Pattern Variations

You: Create a glitchy variation of the current pattern

Claude: [Applies glitch transformation]

Added: .sometimes(x => x.chop(8).rev).rarely(x => x.speed(-1))

Multi-Track Composition

Layered Ambient Track

You: Create an ambient soundscape with multiple layers

Claude: [Generates complex multi-layer pattern]

setcpm(90)
stack(
  // Deep bass drone
  note("c1").s("sine").attack(4).release(8).gain(0.5),

  // Texture pad
  note("c3 eb3 g3").s("sawtooth")
    .attack(2).release(6).room(0.9).gain(0.4),

  // Sparse percussion
  s("bd ~ ~ ~, ~ ~ ~ hh:8").room(0.9).gain(0.3),

  // Melodic sparkles
  note("c5 g5 eb5 bb5").struct("~ 1 ~ 1 ~ ~ 1 ~")
    .s("triangle").delay(0.5).room(0.8).gain(0.3)
)

Session Management

Save and Load Patterns

You: Save this pattern as "techno-groove-1" with tags "techno" and "experimental"

Claude: Pattern saved as "techno-groove-1"

---

You: List all my techno patterns

Claude: Saved patterns with tag "techno":
• techno-groove-1 [techno, experimental] - 2025-10-23T19:30:00.000Z
• acid-bassline [techno, acid] - 2025-10-23T18:15:00.000Z

---

You: Load "acid-bassline"

Claude: Loaded pattern "acid-bassline"
[Pattern written to editor]

Music Theory Applications

Generate Euclidean Rhythms

You: Create a 5/8 euclidean rhythm with kick drum

Claude: Generated Euclidean rhythm (5/8)

Pattern: s("bd").struct("1 ~ 1 ~ 1 1 ~ 1")

Complex Polyrhythms

You: Generate a polyrhythm with kick (4/16), snare (7/16), and hi-hat (3/16)

Claude: Generated polyrhythm

stack(
  s("bd").euclid(4, 16),
  s("cp").euclid(7, 16),
  s("hh").euclid(3, 16)
)

Integration with LLM Agents

AI-Assisted Composition

You: Analyze the mood of my current pattern and suggest complementary elements

Claude: [Analyzes pattern structure and audio features]

Your pattern has:
- Energetic rhythm (130 BPM)
- Strong bass presence
- Minimal melodic content

Suggestions:
1. Add arpeggiated synth for movement
2. Include occasional breaks/fills
3. Layer atmospheric pad for depth

Would you like me to add any of these?

You: Add an arpeggiated synth in C minor

Claude: [Generates and adds]

note("c4 eb4 g4 bb4 c5").struct("1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1")
  .s("triangle").delay(0.25).room(0.3).gain(0.5)

Testing

All tools have been tested with real Strudel.cc interaction:

# Run integration tests
npm run test:integration

# Run browser tests
node tests/strudel-integration.js

# Run npm test to see current pass/fail/skip counts

Configuration

config.json

{
  "headless": false,        // Set true for background operation
  "strudel_url": "https://strudel.cc/",
  "patterns_dir": "./patterns",
  "audio_analysis": {
    "fft_size": 2048,
    "smoothing": 0.8
  }
}

Architecture

System Overview

The Strudel MCP Server is built with a modular architecture that separates concerns and enables robust music generation:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                       Claude AI                              │
│                  (MCP Client)                                │
└───────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────┘
                        │ MCP Protocol (stdio)
                        │
┌───────────────────────▼─────────────────────────────────────┐
│              StrudelMCPServer                          │
│  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│  │  Tool Request Handler                                  │ │
│  │  - Validates inputs                                    │ │
│  │  - Routes to appropriate service                       │ │
│  │  - Handles errors gracefully                           │ │
│  └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└───────┬────────────┬────────────┬───────────┬──────────────┘
        │            │            │           │
   ┌────▼────┐  ┌───▼────┐  ┌───▼────┐  ┌──▼──────┐
   │ Strudel │  │ Music  │  │Pattern │  │ Pattern │
   │Controller│  │ Theory │  │Generator│  │  Store  │
   └────┬────┘  └────────┘  └────────┘  └─────────┘
        │
   ┌────▼────────────────────────────┐
   │   Playwright Browser            │
   │  ┌──────────────────────────┐   │
   │  │   Strudel.cc Website     │   │
   │  │  ┌────────────────────┐  │   │
   │  │  │  CodeMirror Editor │  │   │
   │  │  └────────────────────┘  │   │
   │  │  ┌────────────────────┐  │   │
   │  │  │  Audio Context     │  │   │
   │  │  │  + Web Audio API   │  │   │
   │  │  └────────┬───────────┘  │   │
   │  └───────────┼──────────────┘   │
   └──────────────┼──────────────────┘
                  │
          ┌───────▼────────┐
          │ Audio Analyzer │
          │  - FFT Analysis│
          │  - Frequency   │
          │  - Spectral    │
          └────────────────┘

Core Components

1. StrudelMCPServer (`src/server/server.ts`)

Main MCP server implementation handling:

65 Tool Definitions: Complete API surface for music control
Request Routing: Directs tool calls to appropriate handlers
State Management: Tracks initialization, undo/redo stacks, pattern cache
Error Handling: Graceful degradation and informative error messages
Lazy Initialization: Browser starts only when needed

Key Features:

- Pattern caching before browser init
- Undo/redo stack management
- Session history tracking
- Generated pattern storage
- Safe fallback mechanisms

2. StrudelController (`src/StrudelController.ts`)

Browser automation layer using Playwright:

Browser Management: Chromium instance lifecycle
Editor Control: CodeMirror manipulation via DOM
Playback Control: Keyboard shortcuts for play/stop
Performance Optimizations:
- Editor content caching (100ms TTL)
- Direct CodeMirror API access
- Resource blocking (images, fonts)
- Fast DOM content loading

// Example: Optimized pattern writing
async writePattern(pattern: string) {
  await this.page.evaluate((newPattern) => {
    const editor = document.querySelector('.cm-content');
    const view = editor.__view;
    view.dispatch({
      changes: { from: 0, to: view.state.doc.length, insert: newPattern }
    });
  }, pattern);
}

3. AudioAnalyzer (`src/AudioAnalyzer.ts`)

Real-time audio analysis via Web Audio API injection:

FFT Analysis: 1024-point FFT for spectral data
Frequency Bands: Bass, low-mid, mid, high-mid, treble
Analysis Caching: 50ms TTL for performance
Features Extracted:
- Average amplitude
- Peak frequency
- Spectral centroid
- Playing state detection
- Frequency distribution

Features provided:
- average: Overall amplitude (0-255)
- peak: Maximum amplitude
- peakFrequency: Dominant frequency in Hz
- bass/mid/treble: Band-specific amplitudes
- brightness: Timbral classification
- isPlaying: Boolean playback state

4. MusicTheory (`src/services/MusicTheory.ts`)

Music theory engine providing:

15+ Scales: Major, minor, modes, pentatonic, blues, whole-tone
Chord Progressions: Pop, jazz, blues, rock, folk, EDM
Euclidean Rhythms: Mathematical rhythm generation
Arpeggio Generation: Multiple patterns (up, down, random)
Note Transposition: Semitone-based pitch shifting

Supported scales:

major, minor, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian,
aeolian, locrian, pentatonic, blues, chromatic,
wholetone, harmonic_minor, melodic_minor

5. PatternGenerator (`src/services/PatternGenerator.ts`)

AI-powered pattern creation:

Genre Templates: Techno, house, DnB, trap, ambient, jazz, intelligent_dnb, trip_hop, boom_bap
Drum Patterns: 4 complexity levels per genre
Basslines: 8 different styles
Melody Generation: Scale-based with musical intervals
Variations: Subtle, moderate, extreme, glitch, evolving
Fills: 1-4 bar drum fills

Example generation:

generateCompletePattern('techno', 'C', 130)
→ Multi-layer pattern with drums, bass, chords, melody

6. PatternStore (`src/PatternStore.ts`)

Persistent pattern storage:

JSON-based: Simple file storage
Metadata: Name, tags, timestamp, audio features
Tag Filtering: Organize by genre, mood, project
Sorted Retrieval: Most recent first

Directory Structure

live-coding-music-mcp/
├── src/
│   ├── server/
│   │   └── server.ts                    # MCP server
│   ├── services/
│   │   ├── MusicTheory.ts                # Theory engine
│   │   └── PatternGenerator.ts           # Pattern creation
│   ├── utils/
│   │   └── Logger.ts                     # Logging utility
│   ├── types/
│   │   └── index.ts                      # TypeScript types
│   ├── StrudelController.ts              # Browser automation
│   ├── AudioAnalyzer.ts                  # Audio analysis
│   ├── PatternStore.ts                   # Pattern persistence
│   └── index.ts                          # Entry point
├── tests/
│   ├── browser-test.js                   # Browser integration
│   ├── integration.test.js               # Integration tests
│   ├── manual-test.js                    # Manual testing
│   ├── mcp-tools.test.ts                 # MCP tool tests
│   └── strudel-integration.js            # Full integration
├── patterns/                             # Saved patterns
├── config.json                           # Server configuration
├── package.json                          # Dependencies
└── tsconfig.json                         # TypeScript config

Data Flow

Tool Invocation

Claude → MCP Protocol → StrudelMCPServer

Pattern Generation (without browser)

Server → PatternGenerator → MusicTheory → Pattern String

Pattern Execution (with browser)

Server → StrudelController → Playwright → Strudel.cc

Audio Analysis

Strudel.cc → Web Audio API → AudioAnalyzer → Feature Data

Performance Characteristics

Operation	Latency	Notes
Pattern Generation	<100ms	Pure computation
Browser Init	~3s	One-time cost
Pattern Write	~50ms	With caching
Play/Stop	~100ms	Keyboard shortcuts
Audio Analysis	~20ms	With 50ms cache
Pattern Save	~10ms	File I/O

Optimization Strategies

Caching
- Editor content: 100ms TTL
- Audio analysis: 50ms TTL
- Generated patterns: Until browser init
Resource Blocking
- Images, fonts, media blocked
- Only load essential JavaScript/CSS
Direct API Access
- CodeMirror view manipulation
- Keyboard shortcuts over button clicks
Lazy Loading
- Browser starts only when needed
- Services initialized on-demand

Pattern Examples

Minimal Techno (Verified Working)

setcpm(130)
stack(
  s("bd*4").gain(0.9),
  s("~ cp ~ cp").room(0.2),
  s("hh*16").gain(0.4).pan(sine.range(-0.5, 0.5)),
  note("c2 c2 eb2 c2").s("sawtooth").cutoff(800)
).swing(0.05)

Drum & Bass (Verified Working)

setcpm(174)
stack(
  s("bd ~ ~ [bd bd] ~ ~ bd ~, ~ ~ sn:3 ~ ~ sn:3 ~ ~").fast(2),
  s("hh*16").gain(0.5),
  note("e1 ~ ~ e2 ~ e1 ~ ~").s("sine:2").lpf(200)
)

Generated Jazz Progression

// Jazz ii-V-I in F
stack(
  note("Gm7" "C7" "Fmaj7").struct("1 ~ ~ ~").s("piano"),
  note("g2 c2 f2").s("sine").gain(0.7)
)

Docker Support

# Build image
docker build -t live-coding-music-mcp .

# Run container
docker run -it --rm live-coding-music-mcp

# Or use docker-compose
docker-compose up

Development

Setup Development Environment

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp.git
cd live-coding-music-mcp

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Install Playwright browsers
npx playwright install chromium

# Build the project
npm run build

Available Scripts

# Development mode with hot reload
npm run dev

# Build TypeScript to dist/
npm run build

# Start production server
npm start

# Run all tests
npm test

# Run integration tests with real browser
npm run test:integration

# Run browser-specific tests
npm run test:browser

# Validate MCP protocol compliance
npm run validate

# Lint code
npm run lint

# Format code
npm run format

# Clean build artifacts
npm clean

Publishing to npm

See NPM_PUBLISHING.md for complete publishing instructions.

Quick publish via GitHub Release:

npm version patch  # or minor, major
git push && git push --tags
gh release create v$(node -p "require('./package.json').version") --generate-notes

The package uses OIDC trusted publishing with provenance attestation for supply chain security.

Project Structure

src/
├── server/
│   └── server.ts                    # MCP server
│
├── services/
│   ├── MusicTheory.ts                # Music theory engine
│   │   - 15+ scales (major, minor, modes, etc.)
│   │   - Chord progressions (jazz, pop, blues, etc.)
│   │   - Euclidean rhythm generation
│   │   - Arpeggio generation
│   │
│   └── PatternGenerator.ts           # Pattern creation service
│       - Genre-specific drum patterns
│       - Bassline generation
│       - Melody composition
│       - Pattern variations
│       - Complete track generation
│
├── utils/
│   ├── Logger.ts                     # Logging utility
│   ├── PerformanceMonitor.ts         # Performance tracking
│   ├── PatternValidator.ts           # Pattern syntax validation
│   └── ErrorRecovery.ts              # Error handling & recovery
│
├── types/
│   └── index.ts                      # TypeScript type definitions
│
├── StrudelController.ts              # Browser automation
│   - Chromium management via Playwright
│   - CodeMirror editor manipulation
│   - Playback control
│   - Pattern validation
│   - Error recovery
│
├── AudioAnalyzer.ts                  # Real-time audio analysis
│   - Web Audio API injection
│   - FFT spectral analysis
│   - Frequency band detection
│   - Playing state monitoring
│
├── PatternStore.ts                   # Pattern persistence
│   - JSON-based storage
│   - Tag-based organization
│   - Metadata tracking
│   - List caching
│
└── index.ts                          # Application entry point

Adding New Tools

To add a new MCP tool:

Define the tool in getTools() method:

{
  name: 'my_new_tool',
  description: 'Description of what it does',
  inputSchema: {
    type: 'object',
    properties: {
      param1: { type: 'string', description: 'Parameter description' },
      param2: { type: 'number', description: 'Numeric parameter' }
    },
    required: ['param1']
  }
}

Implement the handler in executeTool() switch statement:

case 'my_new_tool':
  // Your implementation here
  return await this.someService.doSomething(args.param1, args.param2);

Add necessary service methods if needed:

// In appropriate service file
async doSomething(param1: string, param2?: number): Promise<string> {
  // Implementation
  return `Result: ${param1}`;
}

Test the tool:

# Build
npm run build

# Test via MCP
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"my_new_tool","arguments":{"param1":"test"}},"id":2}' | node dist/index.js

Testing Strategy

1. Unit Tests

# Run with Jest
npm test

# Watch mode
npm run test:watch

2. Integration Tests

# Full integration with real browser
npm run test:integration

# This tests:
# - Browser initialization
# - Pattern generation
# - Audio analysis
# - Pattern storage
# - All 65 tools

3. Manual Testing

# Development mode
npm run dev

# In another terminal
claude mcp add strudel-dev node $(pwd)/dist/index.js
claude chat

# Then interact with Claude

Code Quality

TypeScript Configuration

// tsconfig.json
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "strict": true,           // Strict type checking
    "esModuleInterop": true,  // Better module compatibility
    "target": "ES2020",       // Modern JavaScript
    "module": "ES2020",       // ES modules
    "moduleResolution": "node"
  }
}

Linting & Formatting

# ESLint
npm run lint

# Prettier
npm run format

# Pre-commit hooks recommended

Debugging

Enable Debug Logging

# Set DEBUG environment variable
DEBUG=strudel:* npm start

# Or specific modules
DEBUG=strudel:controller npm start
DEBUG=strudel:audio npm start

VS Code Launch Configuration

{
  "type": "node",
  "request": "launch",
  "name": "Debug MCP Server",
  "program": "${workspaceFolder}/dist/index.js",
  "preLaunchTask": "npm: build",
  "console": "integratedTerminal",
  "env": {
    "DEBUG": "strudel:*"
  }
}

Playwright Debugging

// In StrudelController.ts
this.browser = await chromium.launch({
  headless: false,  // See the browser
  devtools: true,   // Open DevTools
  slowMo: 100       // Slow down actions
});

Performance Monitoring

The server includes built-in performance monitoring:

// Access performance metrics
You: Show me performance metrics

Claude: Performance Report:
{
  "averageLatency": {
    "init": "3.2s",
    "write": "52ms",
    "play": "105ms",
    "analyze": "18ms"
  },
  "cacheHitRate": "85%",
  "totalOperations": 1247,
  "bottlenecks": [
    {"tool": "init", "avgTime": 3200, "calls": 1},
    {"tool": "write", "avgTime": 52, "calls": 156}
  ]
}

Contributing Guidelines

Fork the repository

git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/live-coding-music-mcp.git

Create a feature branch
```
git checkout -b feature/my-new-feature
```
Make your changes
- Follow existing code style
- Add tests for new features
- Update documentation
- Ensure all tests pass
Commit with meaningful messages
```
git commit -m "feat: Add support for custom scale generation"
```
Follow Conventional Commits:
- feat: New feature
- fix: Bug fix
- docs: Documentation changes
- refactor: Code refactoring
- test: Adding tests
- chore: Maintenance tasks
Push and create PR
```
git push origin feature/my-new-feature
```
Then create a Pull Request on GitHub with:
- Clear description of changes
- Link to related issues
- Screenshots/examples if relevant

Release Process

# 1. Update version in package.json
npm version patch  # or minor/major

# 2. Update CHANGELOG.md
# Add entry for new version

# 3. Build and test
npm run build
npm test
npm run test:integration

# 4. Commit version bump
git add .
git commit -m "chore: Bump version to X.Y.Z"

# 5. Create git tag
git tag vX.Y.Z

# 6. Push to GitHub
git push origin main --tags

# 7. Publish to npm (if you have access)
npm publish --access public

# 8. Create GitHub release
gh release create vX.Y.Z --generate-notes

Docker Development

# Build development image
docker build -t live-coding-music-mcp:dev .

# Run with volume mount for hot reload
docker run -it --rm \
  -v $(pwd)/src:/app/src \
  -v $(pwd)/patterns:/app/patterns \
  live-coding-music-mcp:dev

# Run tests in container
docker run -it --rm live-coding-music-mcp:dev npm test

Environment Variables

# Logging level
LOG_LEVEL=debug        # debug, info, warn, error

# Performance monitoring
ENABLE_PERF_MONITORING=true

# Pattern storage
PATTERNS_DIR=./patterns

# Browser configuration
HEADLESS=false
BROWSER_TIMEOUT=15000

# Audio analysis
FFT_SIZE=1024
SMOOTHING=0.8

Performance

Pattern Generation: <100ms
Browser Initialization: ~3 seconds
Pattern Writing: Instant
Playback Start: ~500ms
Audio Analysis: Real-time
Memory Usage: <150MB

Advanced Usage

Custom Music Theory

Create Custom Scales

// The MusicTheory service supports 15+ built-in scales
// You can request any combination:

You: Generate a lydian scale starting on D

Claude: D lydian scale: D, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#

Complex Chord Progressions

You: Create a jazz ii-V-I progression in Bb with extended voicings

Claude: Generated jazz progression in Bb: "Cm7" "F7" "Bbmaj7"

Pattern:
note("Cm7" "F7" "Bbmaj7")
  .struct("1 ~ ~ ~")
  .s("sawtooth")
  .add(note("7"))  // Add 7th extensions
  .room(0.4)

Advanced Rhythm Techniques

Euclidean Patterns

You: Create a complex polyrhythm using euclidean patterns:
     - Bass drum: 7 hits in 16 steps
     - Snare: 5 hits in 16 steps
     - Hi-hat: 11 hits in 16 steps

Claude: [Generates mathematically perfect polyrhythm]

stack(
  s("bd").euclid(7, 16),
  s("cp").euclid(5, 16),
  s("hh").euclid(11, 16)
)

Generative Variations

You: Create 3 variations of my current pattern: subtle, moderate, and glitchy

Claude: [Generates three variants]

Version 1 (subtle):
original.sometimes(x => x.fast(2))

Version 2 (moderate):
original.every(4, x => x.rev).sometimes(x => x.fast(2))

Version 3 (glitchy):
original.sometimes(x => x.chop(8).rev).rarely(x => x.speed(-1))

Performance Optimization Tips

Pattern Caching

// The server caches patterns intelligently:
// - Generated patterns stored before browser init
// - Editor content cached for 100ms
// - Audio analysis cached for 50ms

// For fastest performance:
1. Generate patterns before initializing browser
2. Initialize once and reuse the session
3. Batch multiple changes together

Headless Mode

// In config.json:
{
  "headless": true,  // Faster, no GUI
  "strudel_url": "https://strudel.cc/",
  "patterns_dir": "./patterns"
}

Integration Patterns

Workflow Automation

You: Create a complete track:
     1. Start with techno drums at 130 BPM
     2. Add acid bassline in E
     3. Layer ambient pads
     4. Save as "track-001" with tags "techno", "acid", "experimental"

Claude: [Executes full workflow]
        [Initializes browser]
        [Generates drum pattern]
        [Adds bassline]
        [Layers pads]
        [Saves with metadata]

Complete! Pattern saved as "track-001"

Audio-Reactive Composition

You: Monitor the audio and suggest adjustments based on frequency balance

Claude: [Analyzes current playback]

Analysis shows:
- Bass: 180 (strong)
- Mid: 45 (weak)
- Treble: 30 (weak)

Recommendations:
1. Reduce bass gain by 20%
2. Add mid-range melodic content
3. Include hi-hat pattern for treble

Apply changes? [Yes/No]

Advanced Pattern Manipulation

Dynamic Transformations

You: Apply these transformations in sequence:
     1. Transpose up 3 semitones
     2. Add 10% humanization
     3. Apply reverb with 0.6 room size
     4. Every 4th cycle, reverse the pattern

Claude: [Applies transformations]

Final pattern:
[original]
  .transpose(3)
  .nudge(rand.range(-0.1, 0.1))
  .room(0.6)
  .every(4, x => x.rev)

Conditional Logic

You: Create a pattern that evolves:
     - Bars 1-4: Simple kick pattern
     - Bars 5-8: Add snare
     - Bars 9-16: Add full drum kit
     - Then loop with variations

Claude: [Generates evolving pattern]

s("bd*4")
  .struct("1 ~ ~ ~")
  .mask("<1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0>/4")  // First 4 bars
  .stack(
    s("~ cp ~ cp")
      .mask("<0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1>/8")  // Bars 5-8
  )
  // Full complexity from bar 9
  .every(8, x => x.sometimes(y => y.fast(2)))

🔒 Security

Pattern Validation

All patterns are validated before execution:

Dangerous gain levels (>2.0) are flagged
Eval blocks are rejected
Path traversal attacks are blocked in PatternStore

Browser Sandboxing

Playwright runs Chromium in sandbox mode
No access to local filesystem from browser context
Resource blocking prevents loading external content

Known Limitations

No authentication: The MCP server trusts all incoming requests
Local only: Designed for local development, not network deployment
Pattern execution: Patterns execute in browser context with audio access

Reporting Security Issues

Found a vulnerability? Please open a security issue or email the maintainer directly. Do not disclose publicly until patched.

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Browser doesn't open

Symptom: Error: Browser not initialized or Chromium launch fails

Solutions:

# Install Chromium for Playwright
npx playwright install chromium

# If that fails, try installing all browsers
npx playwright install

# Check Playwright installation
npx playwright --version

# For Linux, install dependencies
sudo npx playwright install-deps chromium

Audio analysis returns "not connected"

Symptom: Audio analysis shows connected: false

Solutions:

Ensure pattern is playing first:

You: Play the pattern, wait 2 seconds, then analyze

Reinitialize the browser:

You: Stop, close the browser, reinitialize, and try again

Check audio context activation:
- Audio contexts require user interaction on some systems
- The browser window must be visible (not headless) for first run

Pattern syntax errors

Symptom: Pattern doesn't play or shows errors in console

Solutions:

Common issues:
1. Missing quotes: s(bd*4) → s("bd*4")
2. Unmatched parentheses: stack(s("bd")) → stack(s("bd")))
3. Invalid note names: note("h2") → note("c2")

Test with minimal pattern first:
s("bd*4")

Then build complexity gradually.

MCP connection issues

Symptom: Claude can't find the server or tools

Solutions:

# Verify server is built
npm run build

# Check if server responds
echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/list","id":1}' | node dist/index.js

# Should return JSON with 65 tools

# Reinstall MCP server in Claude
claude mcp remove strudel
claude mcp add strudel node $(pwd)/dist/index.js

# Restart Claude
claude chat

Performance issues / Slow response

Symptom: Operations take longer than expected

Solutions:

Enable caching (default, but verify):
- Editor caching: 100ms TTL
- Audio analysis: 50ms TTL
Use headless mode for faster operation:
```
// config.json
{ "headless": true }
```

Batch operations:

Instead of:
- Add drums
- Add bass
- Add melody

Do:
- Generate complete pattern with drums, bass, and melody

Reduce browser overhead:
- Close other browser instances
- Disable browser DevTools
- Use resource blocking (enabled by default)

Patterns not saving

Symptom: save command fails or patterns don't persist

Solutions:

# Check patterns directory exists
ls -la ./patterns

# Create manually if needed
mkdir -p ./patterns

# Verify write permissions
touch ./patterns/test.json
rm ./patterns/test.json

# Check for invalid pattern names
# Valid: "techno-beat-1", "my_pattern", "track001"
# Invalid: "pattern/with/slashes", "name:with:colons"

Platform-Specific Issues

macOS

# Keyboard shortcut uses Meta (Cmd) key
# Already handled by ControlOrMeta

# If Chromium crashes on M1/M2:
npx playwright install chromium --with-deps

Linux

# Install system dependencies
sudo npx playwright install-deps chromium

# If running in Docker/headless environment:
# Ensure config.json has headless: true

Windows

# Use PowerShell or Git Bash
# Paths should use forward slashes in config.json

# If Chromium doesn't launch:
npx playwright install chromium

Debugging Tips

Enable Verbose Logging

# Set environment variable
DEBUG=* node dist/index.js

# Or in Claude:
You: Enable detailed logging for the next operation

Check Browser State

You: Show me the current browser initialization state
     and any cached patterns

Claude: Browser state:
- Initialized: true
- Cached patterns: 2
- Undo stack depth: 5
- Last operation: write_pattern (2.5s ago)

Validate Pattern Syntax

You: Before playing, validate this pattern syntax:
     s("bd*4, ~ cp ~ cp")

Claude: [Checks syntax]
Valid Strudel pattern.
Ready to play.

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered here:

Check existing issues: GitHub Issues
Run integration tests: npm run test:integration
Enable debug mode: DEBUG=* npm start
Consult Strudel docs: Strudel.cc documentation
Create new issue: Include error messages, OS, Node version, and steps to reproduce

🤝 Contributing

We need your help! This project is actively developed and welcomes contributions of all kinds:

Ways to Contribute

Report Bugs: Found an issue? Open a bug report
Suggest Features: Have ideas? Create a feature request
Improve Docs: Fix typos, add examples, clarify confusing sections
Write Tests: Help us improve test coverage
Fix Issues: Check open issues for bugs to fix
Add Features: Implement new tools or improve existing ones

Quick Start for Contributors

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
Make your changes and add tests
Ensure tests pass (npm test)
Commit with clear messages (git commit -m 'fix: resolve audio analysis bug')
Push to your fork (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
Open a Pull Request

First time contributor? Look for issues labeled good-first-issue or help-wanted.

Feedback Welcome

Questions? Open a Discussion
Found something confusing? Tell us!
Have a use case we haven't considered? Share it!

We review PRs promptly and welcome contributors of all skill levels. See DEVELOPMENT.md for detailed setup instructions.

📄 License

AGPL-3.0-or-later — see LICENSE for the full text.

This project depends on @strudel/core, @strudel/mini, @strudel/tonal, and @strudel/transpiler, which are AGPL-3.0 licensed by the upstream Strudel project. Since we import from those packages and redistribute the combined work via npm, this project must be distributed under the same copyleft terms. If you fork or redistribute, you must keep the AGPL license and provide source access to any network-accessible users (AGPL §13).

Earlier versions of this package (including @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server prior to deprecation) shipped with an MIT declaration — that was incorrect given the AGPL dependencies. v2.0.0 of @williamzujkowski/live-coding-music-mcp corrects the license to AGPL-3.0-or-later. v1.0.0 of this package is deprecated; install v2.0.0 or later.

🙏 Acknowledgments

Strudel.cc - Amazing live coding environment
TidalCycles - Pattern language inspiration
Anthropic - Claude AI and MCP protocol
Playwright - Reliable browser automation

v2.4.0 - Open Source | Experimental | Report Issues | Contribute

This project is under active development. Core features work, but expect bugs and breaking changes. Not recommended for production use.

Live Coding Music MCP

Reviews

Documentation

live-coding-music-mcp

Table of Contents

Features

🎹 Complete Music Control

🔧 Testing & Development Status

🎼 Example Patterns

Migrating from @williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server

Installation

Prerequisites

From npm

From Source

Quick Reference

Quick Start

1. Add to Claude

2. Start Using

Available Tools

Usage Examples

Basic Pattern Creation

Advanced Music Generation

Real-Time Manipulation

Multi-Track Composition

Session Management

Music Theory Applications

Integration with LLM Agents

Testing

Configuration

config.json

Architecture

System Overview

Core Components

1. StrudelMCPServer (src/server/server.ts)

2. StrudelController (src/StrudelController.ts)

3. AudioAnalyzer (src/AudioAnalyzer.ts)

4. MusicTheory (src/services/MusicTheory.ts)

5. PatternGenerator (src/services/PatternGenerator.ts)

6. PatternStore (src/PatternStore.ts)

Directory Structure

Data Flow

Performance Characteristics

Optimization Strategies

Pattern Examples

Minimal Techno (Verified Working)

Drum & Bass (Verified Working)

Generated Jazz Progression

Docker Support

Development

Setup Development Environment

Available Scripts

Publishing to npm

Project Structure

Adding New Tools

Testing Strategy

1. Unit Tests

2. Integration Tests

3. Manual Testing

Code Quality

Debugging

Performance Monitoring

Contributing Guidelines

Release Process

Docker Development

Environment Variables

Performance

Advanced Usage

Custom Music Theory

Advanced Rhythm Techniques

Performance Optimization Tips

Integration Patterns

Advanced Pattern Manipulation

🔒 Security

Pattern Validation

Browser Sandboxing

Known Limitations

Reporting Security Issues

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Browser doesn't open

Migrating from `@williamzujkowski/strudel-mcp-server`

1. StrudelMCPServer (`src/server/server.ts`)

2. StrudelController (`src/StrudelController.ts`)

3. AudioAnalyzer (`src/AudioAnalyzer.ts`)

4. MusicTheory (`src/services/MusicTheory.ts`)

5. PatternGenerator (`src/services/PatternGenerator.ts`)

6. PatternStore (`src/PatternStore.ts`)