diff --git a/code/modules/instruments/piano_synth.dm b/code/modules/instruments/piano_synth.dm
index 416d164cac0..a93ca0b7f51 100644
--- a/code/modules/instruments/piano_synth.dm
+++ b/code/modules/instruments/piano_synth.dm
@@ -33,24 +33,17 @@
 /obj/item/instrument/piano_synth/headphones/Initialize(mapload)
 	. = ..()
 	AddElement(/datum/element/update_icon_updates_onmob)
-	RegisterSignal(src, COMSIG_INSTRUMENT_START, PROC_REF(start_playing))
-	RegisterSignal(src, COMSIG_INSTRUMENT_END, PROC_REF(stop_playing))
+	RegisterSignal(src, COMSIG_INSTRUMENT_START, PROC_REF(update_icon_for_playing_music))
+	RegisterSignal(src, COMSIG_INSTRUMENT_END, PROC_REF(update_icon_for_playing_music))
 
-/**
- * Called by a component signal when our song starts playing.
- */
-/obj/item/instrument/piano_synth/headphones/proc/start_playing()
+// Called by a component signal to update musical note VFX for songs playing while worn.
+/obj/item/instrument/piano_synth/headphones/proc/update_icon_for_playing_music()
 	SIGNAL_HANDLER
-	icon_state = "[initial(icon_state)]_on"
 	update_appearance()
 
-/**
- * Called by a component signal when our song stops playing.
- */
-/obj/item/instrument/piano_synth/headphones/proc/stop_playing()
-	SIGNAL_HANDLER
-	icon_state = "[initial(icon_state)]"
-	update_appearance()
+/obj/item/instrument/piano_synth/headphones/update_icon_state()
+	. = ..()
+	icon_state = "[initial(icon_state)][song?.playing ? "_on" : null]"
 
 /obj/item/instrument/piano_synth/headphones/spacepods
 	name = "\improper Nanotrasen space pods"