Install and configure mpd & ncmpcpp on Mac

Follow these steps and you are done.

• Install mpd and ncmpcpp using brew

brew install mpd
brew install ncmpcpp

• Create ~/.mpd/mpd.conf and add this content.

 bind_to_address "127.0.0.1"
 bind_to_address "192.168.0.2"
 music_directory "~/songs"
 playlist_directory "~/songs/playlists"
 db_file      "~/.mpd/mpd.db"
 log_file      "~/.mpd/mpd.log"
 pid_file      "~/.mpd/mpd.pid"
 state_file     "~/.mpd/mpdstate"
 auto_update "yes"

audio_output {

     type  "osx"
     name  "My Mac Device"
     mixer_type      "software"
 }

audio_output {
    type                    "fifo"
    name                    "my_fifo"
    path                    "/var/folders/jp/_h08pdsfdsd_4nqsdfsdw9443m0000gp/T/mpd.fifo"
    format                  "44100:16:2"
}

On mac find your temp directory using printenv |grep TMP. Also create/specify the directories. As you can see the bind_to_address has two addresses, one for local client ncmpcpp and the other one the mobile app which I will use later to control the music from my phone. Cool isn't it?

• Start mpd brew services start mpd
• Create ~/.ncmpcpp/config and add this content.

visualizer_fifo_path = "/var/folders/jp/_h08pdsfdsd_4nqsdfsdw9443m0000gp/T/mpd.fifo"
visualizer_output_name = "my_fifo"
visualizer_sync_interval = "30"
visualizer_in_stereo = "yes"
visualizer_type = "spectrum"
visualizer_look = "+|"

This is really it. Now open ncmpcpp and it will connect to your mpd server. You can also search for mpd client apps and control the music. Just make sure the ip address is correct. Change it in the ~/.mpd/mpd.conf if needed.

There is more you can do. Refer to these sites:

• https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Music_Player_Daemon
• https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ncmpcpp
• ncmpcpp cheat sheet: https://pkgbuild.com/~jelle/ncmpcpp/

Enjoy. More later.