diff --git a/src/audiobuffer.hxx b/src/audiobuffer.hxx
index 495d336..c9fb2a2 100644
--- a/src/audiobuffer.hxx
+++ b/src/audiobuffer.hxx
@@ -17,11 +17,13 @@ class AudioBuffer
     {
       ID = privateID++;
       numBeats = 0;
+      audioFrames = 0;
     }
     AudioBuffer(unsigned long size)
     {
       /// no ID assigned: it *takes* the one from the previous buffer!
       numBeats = 0;
+      audioFrames = 0;
       buffer.resize(size);
     }
     
@@ -63,6 +65,19 @@ class AudioBuffer
       numBeats = b;
     }
     
+    void setAudioFrames(long af)
+    {
+      audioFrames = af;
+#ifdef DEBUG_BUFFER
+      cout << "AudioBuffer " << ID << " has "  << audioFrames << " audioFrames\n" << endl;
+#endif
+    }
+    
+    long getAudioFrames()
+    {
+      return audioFrames;
+    }
+    
     std::vector<float>& getData()
     {
       return buffer;
@@ -79,6 +94,10 @@ class AudioBuffer
     
     int numBeats;
     
+    /// holds the number of samples that are usable audio, as opposed to
+    /// buffer.size(), which also has non-used space at the end.
+    long audioFrames;
+    
     char name[20];
     
     std::vector<float> buffer;
diff --git a/src/diskreader.cxx b/src/diskreader.cxx
index 9172e7f..1085413 100644
--- a/src/diskreader.cxx
+++ b/src/diskreader.cxx
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ void DiskReader::loadSample( int track, int scene, string path )
   infile.read( &buf[0] , infile.frames() );
   
   // set the data
+  ab->setAudioFrames( infile.frames() );
   ab->nonRtSetSample( buf );
   
   cout << "Worker: loadSample() " << path << " size: " << infile.frames() << endl;
@@ -154,6 +155,8 @@ void DiskReader::readMaster()
     // bpm
     { 
       cJSON* bpm = cJSON_GetObjectItem( master, "bpm");
+      cout << "Session: BPM " << bpm->valuedouble << " int " << bpm->valueint << endl; 
+      
       EventTimeBPM e( bpm->valuedouble );
       writeToDspRingbuffer( &e );
     }
diff --git a/src/diskwriter.cxx b/src/diskwriter.cxx
index 3c94a76..f5867bf 100644
--- a/src/diskwriter.cxx
+++ b/src/diskwriter.cxx
@@ -65,8 +65,12 @@ void DiskWriter::writeAudioBuffer(int track, int scene, AudioBuffer* ab )
   path << sessionPath << "/" << sessionName << "/samples/" << filename.str();
   
   SndfileHandle outfile( path.str(), SFM_WRITE, SF_FORMAT_WAV | SF_FORMAT_FLOAT, 1, 44100);
-  cout << "Worker::writeSample() " << path.str() << " size: " << ab->getData().size() << endl;
-  outfile.write( &ab->getData()[0], ab->getData().size() );
+  cout << "Worker::writeSample() " << path.str() << " size: " << ab->getAudioFrames() << endl;
+  
+  // FIXME: the size of the buffer is bigger than the audio contained in it:
+  // calculate the length that needs saving using getBeats() * framesPerBeat
+  
+  outfile.write( &ab->getData()[0], ab->getAudioFrames() );
   
   // de allocate the AudioBuffer
   delete ab;
diff --git a/src/looperclip.cxx b/src/looperclip.cxx
index 3812fd7..e04e5ec 100644
--- a/src/looperclip.cxx
+++ b/src/looperclip.cxx
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ void LooperClip::save()
   if ( _loaded )
   {
     char buffer [50];
-    sprintf (buffer, "LooperClip::save() track %i, scene %i", track,scene);
+    sprintf (buffer, "LC::save() track %i, scene %i", track,scene);
     EventGuiPrint e( buffer );
     writeToGuiRingbuffer( &e );
     
-    EventRequestSaveBuffer e2( track, scene, _buffer->getData().size() );
+    EventRequestSaveBuffer e2( track, scene, _buffer->getAudioFrames() );
     writeToGuiRingbuffer( &e2 );
   }
   else
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ void LooperClip::load( AudioBuffer* ab )
   _recordhead = _buffer->getData().size();
   
   char buffer [50];
-  sprintf (buffer, "LooperClip::load() track %i, scene %i",track, scene);
+  sprintf (buffer, "LC::load() t %i, s %i, aF %i",track, scene, int(_buffer->getAudioFrames()) );
   EventGuiPrint e( buffer );
   writeToGuiRingbuffer( &e );
   
@@ -99,11 +99,12 @@ void LooperClip::setRequestedBuffer( AudioBuffer* ab )
 void LooperClip::recieveSaveBuffer( AudioBuffer* saveBuffer )
 {
   // copy current contents into save buffer,
-  size_t size = _buffer->getData().size();
-  memcpy( &saveBuffer->getData().at(0), &_buffer->getData().at(0), sizeof(float)*size);
+  size_t framesBySize = _buffer->getAudioFrames();
+  memcpy( &saveBuffer->getData().at(0), &_buffer->getData().at(0), sizeof(float)*framesBySize);
   
   saveBuffer->setID   ( _buffer->getID()    );
   saveBuffer->setBeats( _buffer->getBeats() );
+  saveBuffer->setAudioFrames( _buffer->getAudioFrames() );
   
   EventSaveBuffer e ( track, scene, saveBuffer );
   writeToGuiRingbuffer( &e );
@@ -217,6 +218,7 @@ void LooperClip::bar()
   {
     // FIXME: assumes 4 beats in a bar
     _buffer->setBeats( _buffer->getBeats() + 4 );
+    _buffer->setAudioFrames( jack->getTimeManager()->getFpb() * _buffer->getBeats() );
   }
   
   if ( change )
diff --git a/src/timemanager.cxx b/src/timemanager.cxx
index fbd9d35..12a83e4 100644
--- a/src/timemanager.cxx
+++ b/src/timemanager.cxx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ int TimeManager::getFpb()
 
 void TimeManager::setBpm(float bpm)
 {
-  //cout << "setBpm() " << bpm << endl;
+  cout << "setBpm() " << bpm << endl;
   setFpb( 44100 / bpm * 60 );
 }
 
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ void TimeManager::registerObserver(TimeObserver* o)
   //cout << "registerObserver() " << o << endl;
   observers.push_back(o);
   o->setFpb( fpb );
+  
+  int bpm = (44100 * 60) / fpb;
+  EventTimeBPM e2( bpm );
+  writeToGuiRingbuffer( &e2 );
 }
 
 void TimeManager::tap()