Control REAPER with your AI assistant.

How it works

REAPER can't accept outside requests on its own, so REAPER MCP comes in two parts:

• The MCP server: a Python program your AI client runs. Your assistant sends it plain-language requests.
• The bridge script: a stock-Lua script (reaper_mcp_bridge.lua) that runs inside REAPER and carries out those requests. It has no dependencies and installs nothing extra in REAPER.

The two talk through files on your own computer: no network, no ports, nothing leaves your machine. Changes happen in your currently open project, in real time, so keep REAPER running with the project you want to work on loaded.

Set it up

Requirements

• REAPER (any recent version; live-tested through 7.77) on Windows, macOS, or Linux
• Python 3.10 or newer, handled for you by uv or pipx in the steps below
• An MCP-compatible AI client (Claude Desktop, Cline, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, or any other client with MCP support)

The quick way: let your AI assistant set it up

If your client has an agent that can run terminal commands, paste this in. It handles the install and config, then walks you through the one manual step REAPER needs. If it cannot, follow the manual steps below instead.

Set up the TwelveTake REAPER MCP server for me.
- It's a Python package on PyPI called twelvetake-reaper-mcp. Install it so it can
  run (uvx or pipx) and add it to my MCP client config as a server named "reaper".
- REAPER needs a small bridge script. Download reaper_mcp_bridge.lua from
  github.com/TwelveTake-Studios/reaper-mcp and copy it into my REAPER Scripts folder.
- Then tell me the one manual step: in REAPER, open Actions -> Show action list ->
  Load ReaScript, choose reaper_mcp_bridge.lua, and Run it. I should see a
  "REAPER MCP Bridge ... started" message in REAPER's console.
- Confirm it works by asking how many tracks are in my project.

Or do it by hand

Step 1: Install the bridge in REAPER

One command puts the bridge script where REAPER expects it, on any platform. It backs up an existing copy first, and writes nothing else:

uvx twelvetake-reaper-mcp --install-bridge

To place it by hand instead, download reaper_mcp_bridge.lua from the REAPER MCP repository and copy it into your REAPER Scripts folder:

Windows: %APPDATA%\REAPER\Scripts\
macOS:   ~/Library/Application Support/REAPER/Scripts/
Linux:   ~/.config/REAPER/Scripts/

Then in REAPER: Actions → Show action list → Load ReaScript, choose reaper_mcp_bridge.lua, and click Run. You should see a REAPER MCP Bridge (File-based, Full API) started message in REAPER's console.

Step 2: Add the server to your AI client

Nearly every MCP client uses the same JSON: an mcpServers entry with a command and its args. Add this to your client's MCP configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "reaper": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["twelvetake-reaper-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Where you put it depends on your client:

• Cursor: Settings → MCP → Add, or paste the block above into ~/.cursor/mcp.json: same shape.
• Windsurf: in the Cascade panel, click the MCP icon → Configure, or edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json: same shape.
• VS Code: Command Palette → "MCP: Add Server," or edit .vscode/mcp.json. VS Code uses a top-level servers key with "type": "stdio" instead of mcpServers.

Using a different client? Add the same command and args wherever it lists MCP servers. After adding it, fully quit and reopen your client.

Step 3: Check it's working

With REAPER open and the bridge running, ask your assistant: "How many tracks are in my project?" A number back means everything's connected.

Keeping it updated

The server updates through uvx / pipx (or re-run the setup prompt). When a release changes the bridge, run twelvetake-reaper-mcp --install-bridge to copy the new reaper_mcp_bridge.lua into place, then re-run it in REAPER so the two stay in step.

Troubleshooting

• No "Bridge … started" message? Re-run reaper_mcp_bridge.lua from Actions → Show action list, and confirm the file is in your Scripts folder.
• Assistant can't see the "reaper" server? Fully quit and reopen your client after editing the config, and check the JSON is valid (a stray trailing comma is the usual culprit).
• "Cannot connect to REAPER"? Make sure REAPER is open and you re-ran the bridge this session. It doesn't persist across REAPER restarts.

What it can control

It gives your assistant 176 tools across your whole production workflow. You don't call these directly. You ask in plain language and your assistant picks the right one.

The complete, current tool reference lives in the REAPER MCP repository.

Is it safe to let it change my project?

Yes. The same safety nets you already use in REAPER apply:

• The MIDI editing tools group their changes for undo. Transpose, quantize, humanize and the other MIDI transforms land in REAPER's own undo history, so Ctrl+Z reverses them as one step.
• Edits stay in your open session until you save. Close without saving to discard them, or save when you're happy. Rendering and freezing are the exception: those write audio files when you ask for them.
• It runs locally. The server and bridge talk through files on your machine, and nothing is sent over the network.

For big AI-driven changes, it's still worth saving a copy first (or leaning on REAPER's project auto-backups), the same as any major edit.

FAQ