Codex CLI
Use Producer Pal with OpenAI's command line coding assistant.
Prefer a Desktop App?
The Codex App offers an easier setup with a graphical interface. The CLI is best for developers who prefer the terminal.
If you feel comfortable with the command line and have an OpenAI subscription, this is a good option.
Requirements
Ableton Live 12.3+ with Max for Live. Live 12.4 or later is recommended — some features don't work on older versions of Live. Use the version of Max bundled with Live, or make sure your standalone Max is up to date.
OpenAI Codex (requires OpenAI account, and a paid subscription at time of writing)
Installation Steps
1. Install the Max for Live Device
Download Producer_Pal.amxd, the Producer Pal Max for Live device, and add it to a MIDI track in Ableton Live:
It should display "Producer Pal Running" or something isn't working.
2. Configure Codex
Add Producer Pal to Codex's settings in ~/.codex/config.toml:
Option A: With npx (recommended) - Allows flexible startup order and auto-reconnection:
[mcp_servers.producer-pal]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "producer-pal"]Option B: Direct HTTP - Requires Ableton running first, no auto-reconnection:
[mcp_servers.producer-pal]
url = "http://localhost:3350/mcp"3. Start Codex
Run codex in an empty folder (so it can focus on Producer Pal instead of coding)
4. Verify Tools
Run /mcp in the Codex CLI to confirm the Producer Pal tools are available:
5. Start Using Producer Pal
Start a conversation with "connect to ableton"
Troubleshooting
If it doesn't work, see the Troubleshooting Guide.