Grandpa

Control a grandMA3 lighting console from Claude — over the Model Context Protocol.

v0.6.3 · signed & notarized · macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel) — Windows coming later · requires grandMA3 onPC on the same machine · requires Claude Desktop and a Claude subscription, billed separately by Anthropic

Free to try, with licenses available for unlimited use.

What you can do

Grandpa exposes the console to your agent as a set of MCP tools. Ask in plain language; it speaks grandMA3.

🎛️

Command the console

Send any command-line instruction, single or as an ordered batch. Set dimmers, attributes, faders, select fixtures and groups, clear the programmer.

🧱

Build & edit content

Create and author macros line by line, store and merge cues, set cue properties and trigger types, and write cue command cells.

▶️

Run playback

Go, Back, Off and Goto on any executor, and set the master fader level — all from the conversation.

🔍

Inspect everything

Read back macros, sequences, cues, the live programmer selection and values, presets by pool, and the full patch.

📄

Generate reports

Markdown or CSV cuelist and patch reports, plus native full-fidelity MA3 XML export — parsed and ready to use.

🛟

Safe by default

Destructive commands need explicit confirmation, batches validate atomically, and a read-only mode blocks all writes.

How it works

Just tell Claude Desktop what you want in plain English. Grandpa sits quietly in your menu bar, hands your requests to the lighting desk, and reads back what's happening on stage — so Claude always knows the current state and you stay in control.

You  ──"warm wash on the band"──▶  Claude
                                 │  turns it into desk commands  ──▶  Grandpa
                                 │                                      │  sends to / reads from
                                 │                                      ▼
                                 └──◀── reports the current look ───  your lighting console

Pricing

Try it free, buy a license when you're ready for unlimited use.

🆓

Free trial

20 write commands included, no account or payment required. Reads are always free.

🔑

License — $59 one-time

Unlimited commands, valid on one machine, free updates for the life of the license. No subscription.

The moment your payment clears, your key appears on screen and lands in your inbox — grab the app, paste the key into the menu bar, and you're licensed. Same app for the free trial and the paid license; the key just lifts the limit.

Grandpa also requires Claude Desktop and a Claude subscription — billed separately by Anthropic and not included in the license price. Purchases of Grandpa are handled by our reseller Paddle. See the Terms of Service for the refund policy.

Get set up

First launch auto-installs everything it needs. A few short steps and you're live.

  1. Get Claude Desktop. Install Claude Desktop and sign in to your Claude subscription — it's the agent Grandpa hands the console to.
  2. Download, install & launch Grandpa. Open the DMG, drag Grandpa to Applications, and launch it. On first run it registers with Claude Desktop, copies the read-back plugin into MA3, and creates the shared IPC folder.
  3. Enable OSC input in grandMA3. In onPC: Menu → In & Out → OSC and add an input with Port 8000.
  4. Load the read-back plugin. In onPC, create or reload a Plugin object named Grandpa, then click Test MA3 Connection in the menu bar.
  5. Restart Claude Desktop. The Grandpa tools appear in the tool list. Try: "Run the MA3 command Store Macro 7."

FAQ

The things people ask before they buy.

What do I need to run Grandpa?

A Mac, grandMA3 onPC running on that same Mac, and Claude Desktop signed in to a Claude subscription. Grandpa is the bridge between the two — it doesn't include the console software or the AI, and your Claude plan is billed by Anthropic, separately from your Grandpa license.

Does it work with ChatGPT, Cursor, or another AI?

Not today. Grandpa is an MCP server, so in principle any MCP-capable client could drive it — but right now it's built, tested and supported against Claude Desktop only, and that's the only setup we can promise works. Wider client support may come later.

Is there a Windows version?

Not yet — Grandpa ships for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) today. Windows support is planned, but there's no date on it yet, so don't buy on the assumption it lands soon. Your license isn't tied to a platform: when Windows ships, the same key works there.

Can Grandpa talk to a console over the network?

Grandpa talks to the copy of grandMA3 running on the same machine — that part doesn't change. But you can join that machine to a multi-user session with a console, and edits Grandpa makes will reach it live.

For now we recommend using Grandpa to edit show files locally on your Mac. Driving or editing a live show through a session is at your own risk.

What's in the free trial?

20 write commands, no account and no payment. Reads — inspecting the patch, cues, macros, the programmer — are always free and never counted, so you can point Claude at a real show file and see what it makes of it before spending anything.

How do I get the app after I buy?

Straight away, on the spot. Checkout shows your license key on screen and emails you a copy, and the download is right here on this page — install the app, click Activate License in the menu bar, paste the key. It's the same build as the free trial, so if you already installed it during the trial, just paste the key and the limit disappears.

What does the license cover?

$59, once. Unlimited commands on one machine, free updates for the life of the license, no subscription and no renewal. Moving to a new machine? Click Deactivate License in the menu bar on the old one to free the seat, then activate with the same key on the new one — a new laptop doesn't cost you a new license.

Is it safe to point at a real show?

That's the design goal. Destructive commands (Delete, Remove, Overwrite) need explicit confirmation, batches validate before anything is sent, and a read-only mode blocks every write for inspection-only sessions. Every single command Grandpa sends is written to a command log you can read in the app.

Still — point it at a local copy of a show file, not a live rig. Using Grandpa to run or edit a live show is at your own risk.

Lost your key, or need a refund?

Your key is always retrievable from the license page — click "retrieve your key" and we re-send it to the email you bought with. Refund terms are in the Terms of Service; if something's wrong, email support@teamduolike.com.