Ableton Move (Schwung 1.8.2) MIDI CC chart, NRPN and OSC map
The Ableton Move MIDI implementation: its MIDI messages, each named, for Claude (MCP), SuperCollider or any OSC app.
- sourcemaker's documentation
- firmwareschwung-1.8.2
- licenceMIT
- real unitnot yet checked
Not checked on a real Ableton Move yet. Own one? Load a sound or send a control, and tell us whether it worked.
- Maker
- Ableton
- Version
- Schwung 1.8.2 (by Charles Vestal)
- Source
- maker's documentation
- Data licence
- MIT
- OSC prefix
/move_schwung
From the README of charlesvestal/schwung at 35f401c.
Schwung (Formerly Move Everything)
An unofficial framework for running custom instruments, effects, and controllers on Ableton Move.
Schwung adds a Shadow UI that runs alongside stock Move, enabling additional Synths, FX, and other tools to run in parallel to the usual UI.
- Website: schwung.dev
- Manual: schwung.dev/manual.html
- Module catalog: schwung.dev/catalog.html
License
Schwung's own code is MIT — see LICENSE.
The release also ships third-party components, some under the GPL. Two are
separate programs (link-subscriber from Ableton Link and
lib/jack/jack_shadow.so from jack2, both GPL-2.0-or-later) and impose nothing
on the rest. One is linked: the default screen-reader build links
schwung-shim.so against eSpeak NG, so that binary is conveyed under
GPL-3.0-or-later — the source stays MIT, and building with
SCREEN_READER_ENABLED=0 produces an MIT shim. Full attribution, licences, and
upstream sources: THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md.
Schwung would not be possible without the work of the Move Anything project which provided the base techniques for accessing Move's hardware and system functions. Thanks to @talktogreg, @impbox, @deets, and especially @bobbyd for those contributions.
Use it
Find the MIDI ports, then start the bridge with this driver:
osc-bridge detect # prints the ready-to-run line for what is plugged in
osc-bridge run --device ableton/move.vendor.fw-schwung-1.8.2 --out-port <N> --in-port <M>
From Claude or any MCP client, the osc-bridge mcp server exposes this driver as move_schwung: ask “what can the Ableton Move do?” and it reads this map with list_routes. See the MCP guide.
MIDI controls
0 controls, each with its number, its range and the name to send
Performance MIDI
Notes, pitch bend and any CC are also available: /move_schwung/note/on <note> <velocity>, /move_schwung/cc/<number> <value>, /move_schwung/pitchbend <0-16383>, /move_schwung/program_change <n>.
The same MIDI as move.vendor.fw-unknown, which this firmware shares.
Limitations
Schwung 1.8.2 by Charles Vestal (MIT for its own code, GPL parts). It runs alongside Ableton's firmware, which it does not replace, so Move's MIDI is unchanged while no Schwung slot listens to external MIDI; slots (synth, audio FX, MIDI FX, MIDI router) can listen on USB cable 2 with their own receive channel, depending on the modules loaded, which are not mapped. Detected by its web manager (move.local:7700), not over MIDI. Restore: Ableton's DFU mode. Untested on hardware.
Firmwares
The Ableton Move runs 3 firmwares SynthHub maps, each with its own MIDI or another's it shares. All the devices with several: firmwares.
| Firmware | From | Licence | MIDI | Sounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| extending-move e8aef58 | github.com/charlesvestal | MIT | same as ableton/move.vendor.fw-unknown | |
| move-anything 15b212e | github.com/bobbydigitales | same as ableton/move.vendor.fw-unknown | ||
| Schwung 1.8.2 | github.com/charlesvestal | MIT | same as ableton/move.vendor.fw-unknown |
Other sources
The Ableton Move is mapped in 4 versions. Move Manual.
Frequently asked questions
Can an AI agent like Claude control the Ableton Move?
Yes: SynthHub's hosted MCP server knows the Ableton Move's MIDI map, and its browser relay lets the agent send it parameter changes or load a sound, each sound change confirmed by you.