# Extending Producer Pal Producer Pal is designed as a stable core with multiple extension points. The core handles Ableton Live control via MCP, optimized for efficiency (doing the most with the fewest tools and tokens). Everything else is an extension. This means you don't need to modify the core to customize Producer Pal for your workflow or add new capabilities. There are several ways to extend it depending on your needs. ::: warning WORK IN PROGRESS Most of the extension points described on this page are planned for version 1.5 and are not yet available. This page describes the direction Producer Pal is heading. See the [roadmap](/roadmap). ::: ## Context Customization Shape how the LLM uses Producer Pal's existing tools — no code required. - **Skills** — Teach the LLM new workflow patterns, or override the built-in skills with your own. Skills are text that describe how to accomplish tasks using Producer Pal's tools — like recipes the LLM follows. - **Tool description overrides** — Tune how the LLM interprets specific tools and parameters for your workflow. - **Tool presets** — Curate which tools are available for focused tasks. - **Custom system instructions** — Add your own guidance for the LLM in the built-in Chat UI, like preferred genres, mixing conventions, or workflow rules. (External clients like Claude Desktop have their own system prompt settings.) **Who it's for:** Anyone who can write clear instructions. If you can describe a music production workflow in plain language, you can create a skill. ::: info COMING SOON Context customization is planned for Producer Pal 1.5. See the [roadmap](/roadmap) for details. ::: ## Workflows Pre-defined sequences of tool calls that execute without the LLM reasoning through each step. The LLM picks the right workflow and fills in parameters — execution is mechanical. Some operations are well-understood sequences where LLM creativity adds nothing and unreliability adds risk. "Set up a standard drum rack track with a 4-bar loop" is always the same steps: create track, add Drum Rack, create clip. A workflow handles this reliably every time. **How workflows differ from skills:** Skills teach the LLM _how_ to do something and it still makes each tool call. Workflows _are_ the tool calls — the LLM triggers them but doesn't improvise the steps. ::: info COMING SOON Workflows are planned for a later 1.5.x release, after context customization is stable. ::: ## Companion MCP Servers Add entirely new capabilities by building a separate MCP server. The LLM sees all connected MCP servers and combines their tools naturally — your server's tools work alongside Producer Pal's without any special integration. **Example use cases:** - Audio analysis and feature extraction - Generative algorithms (Euclidean rhythms, Markov chains, etc.) - Advanced sample management and tagging - Hardware controller integration - External DAW bridges A companion server can be any MCP server in any language — it just needs to provide tools the LLM can use. For servers that need direct Live API access, `max-mcp-template` will provide a starter project with Node for Max / V8 architecture and shared libraries for bar|beat notation parsing, the chunking protocol, and Live API convenience wrappers. **Who it's for:** Developers comfortable with MCP server development. ::: info COMING SOON The `max-mcp-template` and shared libraries are in development. Check the [roadmap](/roadmap) for progress. ::: ## REST API Producer Pal includes a [REST API](/guide/rest-api) that exposes the same tools available to the LLM over HTTP. This lets you script Ableton Live for your own needs — build automation, custom integrations, or tools that don't use AI at all. The REST API is available today and doesn't require any extension infrastructure. ## Choosing the Right Extension Point | I want to... | Use | | ------------------------------------- | --------------------- | | Script Ableton Live without AI | REST API | | Teach the LLM a production technique | Skill | | Customize how the LLM uses tools | Description overrides | | Automate a repetitive multi-step task | Workflow | | Add a capability Live API can't do | Companion MCP server | ## The Ecosystem Vision The goal is a vibrant ecosystem where people create and share extensions. The core repo is deliberately stable — it won't change often after 1.5 — and that stability is a feature. Extensions don't break when the core doesn't change. Innovation happens at the edges: writers sharing skills, developers building companion servers, and the community finding creative new ways to use AI in music production. The core repo is not the bottleneck. Starting with 1.5, breaking changes will require at least a minor version bump (e.g., 1.6 or 2.0) — patch releases are always backward-compatible. This gives extension authors a stable foundation to build on. ## Contributing Back to Core If you find tweaks to the default skills or tool/argument descriptions that improve LLM behavior, those improvements can be adopted into the core via pull request. Producer Pal will also continue optimizing for efficiency — reducing costs whether you're using small local models, subscription quotas, or pay-as-you-go cloud APIs — but through targeted improvements, not major overhauls or breaking changes. Want to discuss ideas for extensions? Join the conversation on [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/adamjmurray/producer-pal/discussions) or [Discord](https://discord.gg/rmU3DSzgwH).