Control REAPER with your AI assistant.

How it works

REAPER can't talk to your AI assistant on its own, so REAPER MCP has two small pieces:

• The MCP server — a Python program your AI client runs. Your assistant sends it plain-language requests.
• The bridge script — a tiny stock-Lua script (reaper_mcp_bridge.lua) that runs inside REAPER and carries out those requests. No dependencies, nothing extra to install 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) — Windows, macOS, or Linux
• Python 3.8+ — handled for you by uv or pipx in the steps below
• An MCP-compatible AI assistant (e.g. Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and other clients with built-in MCP support)

The quick way: let your AI assistant set it up

If your assistant can run terminal commands (Claude Code, Cursor, or VS Code's agent), paste this in — it handles the install and config, then walks you through the one manual step REAPER needs. On plain Claude Desktop, 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

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:

• Claude Desktop — Settings → Developer → Edit Config (opens claude_desktop_config.json); paste the block above.
• Claude Code — skip the JSON and just run: claude mcp add reaper -- uvx twelvetake-reaper-mcp
• 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, re-download reaper_mcp_bridge.lua into your Scripts folder and 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

170+ 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:

• Undo works. Every change lands in REAPER's own undo history — press Ctrl+Z (or ask your assistant to undo) to reverse it.
• Nothing is written to disk until you save. Changes live in your open session; close without saving to discard them, or save when you're happy.
• Runs locally. The server and bridge talk through files on your machine — no network calls, nothing sent anywhere.

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