Getting started

Talkback has two parts: a Max for Live device that runs inside Ableton, and an MCP server that connects your LLM to the device. You need both.

Requirements

• Ableton Live 11 or later (with Max for Live)
• Node.js 18+
• An MCP-compatible LLM client (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, etc.)

Step 1: Install the Max for Live device

1. Drag the downloaded .amxd file onto your master/main track in Ableton
2. Make sure the device is toggled on — you should see a green connection indicator when the server is running

The device needs to be on the master track so it can read the full session state across all tracks.

Step 2: Add the MCP server

Talkback uses the Model Context Protocol to connect your AI to Ableton. It runs locally on your machine — no cloud server involved.

Important: Talkback requires a desktop MCP client like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Cursor. It does not work with claude.ai in the browser — web-based AI chat doesn't support local MCP servers yet.

Claude Desktop recommended

Download Claude Desktop if you haven't already, then add this to your config file:

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

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

Restart Claude Desktop after saving. You should see talkback listed in the MCP tools menu (hammer icon).

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport stdio talkback-mcp -- npx -y talkback-mcp

Other MCP clients

Any client that supports the Model Context Protocol can use talkback. Point it at npx -y talkback-mcp as the server command with WS_PORT=8765 as an environment variable. This includes Cursor, Windsurf, Codex, and others.

You can also use add-mcp to auto-detect your installed agents and configure them all at once:

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

Step 3: Start chatting

1. Open Ableton Live with the talkback device active on your master track
2. Open your LLM client — the MCP server starts automatically
3. Start asking questions

Try something like:

• "What's happening in my session right now?"
• "My bass sounds too boomy, can you help?"
• "Can you check my mix for any obvious issues?"

How it connects

The Max for Live device and MCP server communicate over a local WebSocket connection on port 8765. The MCP server then exposes your session to your LLM via the Model Context Protocol.

Ableton Live ↔ M4L Device ↔ WebSocket (localhost:8765) ↔ MCP Server ↔ Your LLM

No data leaves your machine unless your LLM sends it to its own API. The connection is entirely local.

Updating

The MCP server updates frequently. If you use the npx configuration above, you'll always get the latest version automatically. You can also pin a specific version:

{
  "args": ["talkback-mcp@0.1.2"]
}

The Max for Live device updates less often. Check the changelog for new releases.