Setup guide
From download to your first AI-made loop in about five minutes.
1. What you need
- macOS 12+ (Apple Silicon for the current build); Windows version — coming soon
- Ableton Live 11 or 12
- Claude Code, Codex CLI or DeepSeek Harness
- Optional: additional sample folders on external drives
2. Install BeatBridge
- Download
BeatBridge-0.1.0-arm64.dmg. - Open the DMG and drag BeatBridge.app into Applications.
- Launch it. The build is unsigned: if macOS warns, right-click → Open.
- The dashboard opens and the menu-bar icon appears. Closing the window keeps BeatBridge in the tray.
The app bundles its own runtime — no Node.js installation needed.
3. Connect Ableton Live
- Open Ableton Live.
- Go to Preferences (Cmd+, / Ctrl+,).
- Open Link, Tempo & MIDI.
- In a free Control Surface slot choose BeatBridge.
- Press Test connection in BeatBridge. You should see your Live version, tempo, key and track count.
If BeatBridge is missing from the list: press Install / Repair and restart Live.
4. Connect your assistant
- Open the Setup tab.
- Tick Claude Code, Codex and/or DeepSeek Harness.
- Press Install / Repair. It installs the remote script, registers the
beatbridgeMCP server and adds the BeatBridge playbook. - Restart the assistant.
claude mcp listshould showbeatbridge — Connected.
5. License and trial
The first launch starts a 7-day trial with all features. To activate, open the License tab, paste your key and press Activate.
6. Your first loop
In Claude Code, Codex or DeepSeek Harness:
Look at my open project through beatbridge and make a tech-house loop at 124 BPM in A minor.Then keep iterating:
- “Add groove to the bass.”
- “Build an arrangement: 8-bar intro, drop at bar 9, break at bar 33.”
- “Replace the chords with a softer pad and add a filter sweep over 8 bars.”
7. Plugins
Any VST3, AU or VST scanned by Live works:
Add FabFilter Pro-Q 3 on the bass track and high-pass it at 40 Hz.
Load Serum on a new MIDI track and make a wide lead.BeatBridge controls the parameters Live exposes. A plugin's own preset browser still opens manually.
9. Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Live not connected | Live is open and BeatBridge selected as Control Surface? Port 39031 free? |
| BeatBridge missing in Control Surface | Install / Repair, then restart Live |
| Assistant has no tools | Restart the assistant; check claude mcp list |
| save_project fails | Grant Accessibility permission to BeatBridge, or save with Cmd+S |