Sonic Pi MCP

Sonic Pi MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that bridges AI assistants—such as Claude, Cursor, and any other MCP‑compatible client—with the live coding music environment Sonic Pi. By exposing a small set of OSC‑based tools, the server allows an AI to send high‑level musical instructions and receive immediate audio feedback. This solves a common pain point for developers who want to prototype or automate music generation without writing repetitive code or manually controlling a DAW. Instead of scripting in Ruby, an AI can issue concise commands like “play middle C with a saw synth” or “run this block of Sonic Pi code,” and the server translates those into real‑time OSC messages that Sonic Pi interprets instantly.

The core value of the server lies in its simplicity and immediacy. Developers can prototype musical ideas, test AI‑generated melodies, or build interactive installations where an assistant controls sound in real time. Because the server communicates over OSC—a protocol already native to Sonic Pi—it incurs minimal latency and requires no custom bindings. The client side only needs to register the MCP server in its configuration, after which any supported tool can invoke the two provided actions: play_note and run_code. This design keeps the integration lightweight while offering powerful control over synth parameters, note duration, filter settings, and arbitrary code execution.

Key capabilities include:

• play_note: Trigger a single MIDI note with optional synth selection, sustain length, and filter cutoff. Ideal for quick arpeggios or single‑note prompts.
• run_code: Execute any valid Sonic Pi Ruby snippet, enabling full control over loops, patterns, and sample playback.
• OSC bridge: The server forwards commands to Sonic Pi’s endpoint, ensuring compatibility with the built‑in live‑loop handler.
• MCP compatibility: Works seamlessly with Claude Desktop, Cursor, and any future MCP clients without modification.

Typical use cases span a wide spectrum. A developer building an AI‑powered music tutor could have the assistant generate chord progressions and immediately play them back for instant feedback. In an interactive art installation, a chatbot might respond to visitor questions by altering the sonic landscape on the fly. Game developers can prototype dynamic background music that reacts to player actions, all orchestrated by an AI without manual tweaking. Moreover, because Sonic Pi is open source and runs on multiple platforms, the server provides a cross‑platform bridge that unifies AI creativity with live audio synthesis.

Integration into existing workflows is straightforward. After adding the required OSC listener code to a Sonic Pi buffer, developers simply register the server in their client’s MCP configuration. Once registered, any tool can call the exposed actions via standard JSON payloads, and the server handles communication over . This eliminates the need for custom plugins or complex network setups. The result is a plug‑and‑play system where AI assistants can compose, improvise, and control music in real time, unlocking new possibilities for creative coding, educational tools, and interactive media.