Written from devices/monome/norns.vendor.fw-downtown-f995734.jsonEdit on GitHubJSON

Monome norns (script downtown): OSC control from Claude, scripts and controllers

6 named commands to drive Monome norns over OSC — from Claude (MCP), live-coding environments or a MIDI controller.

  • sourcemaker's documentation
  • firmwaredowntown-f995734
  • real unitnot yet checked

Not checked on a real Monome norns yet. Own one? Load a sound or send a control, and tell us whether it worked.

Maker
Monome
Version
script downtown (schollz/downtown @ f995734)
Source
maker's documentation
OSC prefix
/norns_downtown
README.mdfrom the author's repository; not claimed yet, anyone can improve itEdit

From the README of schollz/downtown at f995734, licence MIT.

downtown

become an architect of sound.

https://vimeo.com/496475138

view downtown over the skyline. build skyscrapers or tear them down to change the sounds coming from the city. record and mix in your sounds into the city and even build your own towers.

all cities are alike and all cities are different. like cities, this script welcomes change. the towers are built from supercollider tweets - you can easily find more and then add it as a new tower in the city.

Requirements
  • norns
Documentation
  • K2 changes sample
  • K3 toggles recording
  • E2 changes modulator
  • E3 modulates

this script is meant as "playground" to add little supercollider things and interact with them through softcut loops. the three softcut loops record in stereo and their length is dependent on the norns internal tempo. they are set to 16 beats, but this can be changed within the script (restart to apply changes).

the supercollider things are represented as towers, accessible through E2 and E3 (although you could certainly tie them to grid / controllers). the towers are modulations for supercollider scripts running in the norns engine.

new towers

the engine has a bunch of different free-running supercollider scripts. its easy to add your own. if you want to add one, you can follow these five steps to make your own.

  1. in Engine_Downtown.sc, add a var <synthX; at the top after Engine_Downtown : CroneEngine {, where X is whatever you want.
  2. in Engine_Downtown.sc, define the synthX, using something similar to this:
synthX = {
    arg amp=0.0, amplag=0.02, hz=440;
    var amp_, snd;
    amp_ = Lag.ar(K2A.ar(amp), amplag);

    // define your beautiful sound here
    snd = SinOsc(hz); // or anything!

    snd
}.play(target: context.xg);
  1. in Engine_Downtown.sc, create a command definition that can be used from within lua. a simple one that each could have is amplitude to change the levels or change frequencies.
this.addCommand("ampX", "f", { arg msg;
    synthX.set(\amp, msg[1]);
});
this.addCommand("hzX", "f", { arg msg;
    synthX.set(\hz, msg[1]);
});
  1. in Engine_Downtown.sc, add synthX.free; at the bottom of the code.
  2. in downtown.lua add a new modulator that references the command definitions:
modulators = {  
  {name="my sound",engine="ampX",min=0,max=0.5}, // add a line for each thing to modulate
  {name="my sound freq",engine="hzX",min=0

[Read the whole README on GitHub](https://github.com/schollz/downtown/blob/f995734abf106f6967b848408f09615ac33034c7/README.md)

</div>

## Use it

Start the bridge with this driver; it forwards named OSC commands to the software:

```bash
osc-bridge run --device devices/monome/norns.vendor.fw-downtown-f995734.json

Then send OSC to 127.0.0.1:7777, for example:

osc-bridge osc-send /norns_downtown/param/{id}

From Claude or any MCP client, the osc-bridge mcp server exposes this driver as norns_downtown: ask “what can the Monome norns do?” and it reads this map with list_routes. See the MCP guide.

MIDI controls

6 controls, each with its number, its range and the name to send

OSC commands

Command Arguments Name to send
Param id: string, value: float /norns_downtown/param/{id}
Param {set} {id} set: string, id: string, value: float /norns_downtown/param/{set}/{id}
Remote key n: int, z: int /norns_downtown/remote/key
Remote enc n: int, delta: int /norns_downtown/remote/enc
Remote brd code: int, z: int /norns_downtown/remote/brd
Param maxbeats value: float /norns_downtown/param/maxbeats

JSON

The same MIDI as norns.vendor.fw-2.9.4, which this firmware shares.

Limitations

Source: the Lua source of the norns script downtown by infinitedigits (schollz/downtown at f995734), listed in norns.community. Shares the norns system OSC of monome/norns.vendor.fw-2.9.4 (port 10111, /param, /remote): give the norns' IP address as host override. Its own routes are the 1 parameter(s) whose id is written out in its source, read without running it, with range, options and default when written out too; set them while the script runs on the norns. 46 parameter call(s) could not be read without running the script (ids built at run time, values from variables) and are not mapped: reach them with the base driver's /param/{id}. Parameters added by libraries or engines outside the repository are not mapped either. A value goes in the parameter's units (an option's index from 1). MIDI is not mapped: the script's MIDI handling is its own and parameter MIDI mappings are learned by each user (PMAP). Untested on hardware.

Other versions

The Monome norns is mapped in 356 versions. per Electra preset, per Electra preset, per Electra preset, norns system OSC, v2.9.4, script 32-harmony, script 3d, script 4-big-knobs, script 4CCFader, script abacus, script acid-test, script ack, script acrostic, script amen, script amenbreak, script animator, script arcify, script arcologies, script arp_index, script ash, script ashsynth, script asterion, script automs70, script avonlea, script awake, script awake-ashsynth, script awake-passersby, script awake-rings, script _awed, script b-b-b-b-beat, script bakeneko, script barcode, script barycenter, script beacon, script beets, script benjolis, script bistro, script bitebeet, script bitters, script bline, script blippoo, script blndr, script bloom, script blue, script boingg, script bounds, script bowering, script breakthrough, script buoys, script caliper, script carter's delay, script cc-canvas, script cccccccc, script changes, script cheat_codes_2, script choukanzu, script circles, script clarck, script clcks, script clipper, script clockabout, script colorwheel, script combiner, script combos, script compass, script concrete, script constellations, script corners, script cranes, script crow_talk, script cryptkeeper, script cybermidi, script cyrene, script d, script delar, script delayyyyyyyy, script delinquencer, script demoncore, script descartes, script dimension-expander, script dreamsequence, script drift, script dronecaster, script drum_room, script duatone, script dunes, script Eastwind, script easygrain, script eels, script ekombi, script endless-stairs, script esper, script eterna, script euclidigons, script faeng, script fall, fates 2.9.3, script fiahod, script fibonacci, script fixed-filter-banking-crisis, script flora, script fm7, script folio, script footfoot, script forge, script foulplay, script foundry, script fugarc, script fugu, script gematria, script gemini, script get in the sea!, script giro, script glaciers, script glitchlets, script glitchlooper, script glut, script goldeneye, script grains, script graintopia, script granchild, script grd, script grendy, script greyhole, script grid-test, script gridofpoints, script gridofrings, script gridstep, script groovecats, script grurder, script hachi, script hands, script haven, script haze, script here-there, script hid_demo, script Hiswing, script hpns, script hs010, script icarus, script iiitoii, script impact, script ingenue, script initenere, script internorns, script interpret, script intervaltrainer, script islands, script isoseq, script jala, script jiffy, script just-play, script justharmonicon, script KoiBoi2, script kolor, script kreislauf, script kria_midi, script krill, script l_ll__l_, script lamellae, script lamination, script larc, script lemniscate, script leslie, script less-concepts, script lissadron, script loom, script lorenz, script lorenzos-drums, script loudnumbers_norns, script luck, script m18s, script magnetar, script magpie, script makebreakbeat, script mangl, script manifold, script marcovaldo, script massif, script MDPatch, script MDScaler, script meadowphysics, script metrix, script metronome, script midarto, script midi-monitor, script midi-review, script midididi, script midigrid, script midiplayer, script mlr, script mlre, script Mnmpatch, script molly_the_poly, script moln, script monitor, script monomaniac, script moonraker, script mosaic, script mouse, script mx.samples, script mx.synths, script n.kria, script nørgård, script n16o, script nameless-nightmare, script narf, script nb_drumcrow, script nb_mxsynths, script nb_plyprc, script nb_smpKit, script nc01-drone, script nc02-rs, script nc03-ds, script ndls, script nice-tapes, script nisp, script nmMelodyMagic, script nmQuadroDubber, script nmRain, script nmSmartyPants, script noize, script noizeop, script norman, script norns.online, script nornsfetch, script nydl, script o-o-o, script oblique, script oilcan, script onehanded, script ong, script oooooo, script orbital, script orca, script orgn, script orgnwrms, script ortf, script otis, script overtones, script overwintering, script p8, script paracosms, script paranibbles, script parrot, script passersby, script passthrough, script patchwork, script path-trace, script pedalboard, script phonotype, script phyllis, script pirate-radio, script pit-orchisstra, script pitfalls, script pitter-patter, script piwip, script pixels, script plasma, script plonky, script pools, script ppm_norns, script punchcard, script qfwfq, script quence, script r, script rachim, script raft, script raindrops, script randomizer_typhon, script rangl, script rebound, script reels, script repeater, script repl-looper, script ribbons, script rpls, script rpmate, script rudiments, script sam, script sampswap, script samsara, script samthree, script sath-lemon, script schicksalslied, script scholastic, script scryingstone, script seaflex, script seeker_ii, script sempra, script serialism, script shapes, script shfts, script shnthsalslied, script showers, script sidvagn, script silos, script sines, script skylines, script smash, script sonde, script spirals, script splicer, script splnkr, script stack, script step, script stjörnuíþrótt, script streams, script strides, script strum, script stwnsh, script SuperBrain, script supertonic, script sway, script sweet bees, script synthy, script takt, script tambla, script tapedeck, script taweeet, script tetra, script tetrabobo, script tetrabotis, script thebangs, script thirtythree, script thorns, script Tidbit, script timber, script time-rhythm, script timeparty, script tmi, script torii, script traffic, script triangles, script tulpamancer, script tuner, script tunnels, script turntable, script tviburar, script twine, script twins, script u, script ufo, script uhf, script vcr, script vinker, script warmreload, script waver, script window-crowparator, script wobblewobble, script wrms, script xD1, script Ygg, script yggdrasil, script zellen, script zxcvbn.

Frequently asked questions

Can an AI agent like Claude control the Monome norns?

Yes: SynthHub's hosted MCP server knows the Monome norns's MIDI map, and its browser relay lets the agent send it parameter changes or load a sound, each sound change confirmed by you.