# Example: Sheet Music Server
A demo MCP App that renders [ABC notation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_notation) as sheet music with interactive audio playback using the [abcjs](https://www.abcjs.net/) library.
## MCP Client Configuration
Add to your MCP client configuration (stdio transport):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"sheet-music": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"--silent",
"--registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-sheet-music",
"--stdio"
]
}
}
}
```
### Local Development
To test local modifications, use this configuration (replace `~/code/ext-apps` with your clone path):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"sheet-music": {
"command": "bash",
"args": [
"-c",
"cd ~/code/ext-apps/examples/sheet-music-server && npm run build >&2 && node dist/index.js --stdio"
]
}
}
}
```
## Features
- **Audio Playback**: Built-in audio player with play/pause and loop controls
- **Sheet Music Rendering**: Displays ABC notation as properly formatted sheet music
## Running
1. Install dependencies:
```bash
npm install
```
2. Build and start the server:
```bash
npm run start:http # for Streamable HTTP transport
# OR
npm run start:stdio # for stdio transport
```
3. View using the [`basic-host`](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/ext-apps/tree/main/examples/basic-host) example or another MCP Apps-compatible host.
### Tool Input
When calling the `play-sheet-music` tool, provide ABC notation:
```json
{
"abcNotation": "X:1
T:C Major Scale
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:C
C D E F | G A B c |"
}
```
#### ABC Notation Examples
**C Major Scale:**
```abc
X:1
T:C Major Scale
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:C
C D E F | G A B c |
```
**Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star:**
```abc
X:1
T:Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:C
C C G G | A A G2 | F F E E | D D C2 |
G G F F | E E D2 | G G F F | E E D2 |
C C G G | A A G2 | F F E E | D D C2 |
```
## Architecture
### Server (`server.ts`)
Exposes a single `play-sheet-music` tool that accepts:
- `abcNotation`: ABC notation string to render
The tool validates the ABC notation server-side using the abcjs parser and returns any parse errors. The actual rendering happens client-side when the UI receives the tool input.
### App (`src/mcp-app.ts`)
- Receives ABC notation via `ontoolinput` handler
- Uses abcjs for audio playback controls and sheet music rendering (in `renderAbc()`)