mcp-patchwork
Advanced tools
MCP-driven synth control plane - translates musical intent into MIDI/SysEx
Tell your synth what you want
LLM-friendly MIDI control plane for synthesizers. Natural language → sound design through MCP (Model Context Protocol).
Patchwork started as a personal side project.
I own a few hardware synthesizers, but I don't use them constantly. Every time I pull one out after a break, I have to reload a completely different mental model: different layouts, different modulation schemes, different parameter names. Even when I know roughly what kind of sound I want, getting there can take longer than it should.
The idea behind Patchwork is simple:
Instead of remembering how a synth works, describe what you want and let the system get you into the ballpark.
Things like:
Patchwork uses Model Context Protocol (MCP) as a control layer between an LLM and real hardware. The model reasons in terms of musical intent, while synth-specific drivers translate that intent into deterministic MIDI (CC, NRPN, SysEx) messages.
This is not a replacement for sound design knowledge, and it's not flawless. It won't perfectly recreate famous patches or guarantee a specific result. What it does well is reduce friction — getting close enough that you can start playing and tweaking instead of paging through manuals.
Patchwork is intentionally focused on:
It does not generate audio, perform autonomously, or attempt to "make music for you."
npm install -g mcp-patchwork
# or clone and build locally:
git clone https://github.com/truthanb/mcp-patchwork
cd patchwork
npm install
npm run build
Configure the server in your MCP client's settings file:
Edit ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"patchwork": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-patchwork"]
}
}
}
Or if installed locally:
{
"mcpServers": {
"patchwork": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["dist/mcp/server.js"],
"cwd": "/path/to/patchwork"
}
}
}
Edit ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/mcp.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json (Windows):
{
"mcpServers": {
"patchwork": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-patchwork"]
}
}
}
Any MCP-compatible client can connect using the stdio transport:
{
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-patchwork"]
}
After configuration, restart your MCP client. The patchwork tools should appear automatically when your MicroFreak is connected.
Connect your synthesizer via MIDI and control it through any MCP client using natural language:
"Create a warm bass sound with slow filter modulation"
"Make a plucky lead with fast decay"
"Set up a pad with LFO on the filter"
Or use the tools directly:
// List connected synths
await list_synths(); // Returns available MicroFreak and/or SE-02
// Create a kick drum on MicroFreak
await init(); // Reset to clean state
await set_synth_feature("oscillatorType", "Modal");
await set_param("env.amp.decay", 0.15);
await set_param("filter.cutoff", 0.3);
await set_modulation("Envelope", "Pitch", -0.35);
await set_modulation("Envelope", "Cutoff", 0.5);
// Create a bass on SE-02
await set_param("osc1.waveform", 0.0); // Sawtooth
await set_param("filter.cutoff", 0.3);
await set_param("filter.resonance", 0.6);
await set_param("env.amp.decay", 0.4);
The SynthAdapter interface allows adding new synthesizers. Each driver provides:
| Tool | Purpose | MicroFreak | SE-02 |
|---|---|---|---|
list_synths | List connected synthesizers and their capabilities | ✅ | ✅ |
describe_synth | Get detailed capabilities (oscillators, params, mod matrix) | ✅ | ✅ |
set_param | Set normalized parameter (0.0-1.0) | ✅ | ✅ |
set_synth_feature | Set oscillator/filter types and modes | ✅ | ✅ |
set_modulation | Route mod source → destination (-1.0 to 1.0) | ✅ | ⚠️ |
init | Reset synth to baseline (zero mods, neutral envelopes) | ✅ | ✅ |
load_preset | Load preset from slot (1-512 for MicroFreak) | ✅ | ⚠️ |
dump_preset | Read complete preset data via SysEx | ✅ | ⚠️ |
Legend: ✅ Fully supported | ⚠️ Limited/not applicable | ❌ Not supported
Notes:
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
synth://<id>/params | JSON param map with descriptions and tips |
synth://<id>/midi-reference | Complete MIDI CC/NRPN reference with examples |
npm test # 20 tests: CC/NRPN conversion, normalization, clamping
patchwork = MCP Server + SynthAdapter abstraction + Hardware MIDI
src/mcp/): 8 tools + 2 resources, stdio transportsrc/synth/): Generic parameter interface, driver-agnostic APIsrc/midi/): CC + NRPN + SysEx message building, hardware port managementsrc/drivers/):
microfreak/): 22 oscillator types, full mod matrix (5×7), NRPN parameter mappings, SysEx preset protocolse02/): Analog architecture modeling, comprehensive CC mappings, oscillator sync, cross modulationTo add support for a new synthesizer:
SynthAdapter interface in src/drivers/yoursynth/driver.tssrc/synth/manager.tsSee MicroFreak driver and SE-02 driver for reference implementations.
To publish a new version to npm:
npm run build
npm test
npm version patch # or minor/major
npm publish
FAQs
MCP-driven synth control plane - translates musical intent into MIDI/SysEx
The npm package mcp-patchwork receives a total of 23 weekly downloads. As such, mcp-patchwork popularity was classified as not popular.
We found that mcp-patchwork demonstrated a healthy version release cadence and project activity because the last version was released less than a year ago. It has 1 open source maintainer collaborating on the project.
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