diff --git a/code/__DEFINES/preferences.dm b/code/__DEFINES/preferences.dm
index fc4911211a3..1f170276c8f 100644
--- a/code/__DEFINES/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/__DEFINES/preferences.dm
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 //Preference toggles
-#define SOUND_ADMINHELP	1
-#define SOUND_MIDI		2
-#define SOUND_AMBIENCE	4
-#define SOUND_LOBBY		8
-#define SOUND_STREAMING	16
-#define SOUND_HEARTBEAT	32
-#define SOUND_BUZZ		64
+#define SOUND_ADMINHELP		1
+#define SOUND_MIDI			2
+#define SOUND_AMBIENCE		4
+#define SOUND_LOBBY			8
+#define SOUND_STREAMING		16
+#define SOUND_HEARTBEAT		32
+#define SOUND_BUZZ			64
+#define SOUND_INSTRUMENTS	128
 
-#define SOUND_DEFAULT (SOUND_ADMINHELP|SOUND_MIDI|SOUND_AMBIENCE|SOUND_LOBBY|SOUND_STREAMING|SOUND_HEARTBEAT|SOUND_BUZZ)
+#define SOUND_DEFAULT (SOUND_ADMINHELP|SOUND_MIDI|SOUND_AMBIENCE|SOUND_LOBBY|SOUND_STREAMING|SOUND_HEARTBEAT|SOUND_BUZZ|SOUND_INSTRUMENTS)
 
 #define CHAT_OOC		1
 #define CHAT_DEAD		2
diff --git a/code/game/objects/items/devices/violin.dm b/code/game/objects/items/devices/violin.dm
index 5891b163794..02038717aff 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items/devices/violin.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items/devices/violin.dm
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 	qdel(song)
 	song = null
 	return ..()
+	
+/obj/item/device/violin/initialize()
+	song.tempo = song.sanitize_tempo(song.tempo) // tick_lag isn't set when the map is loaded
+	..()
 
 /obj/item/device/violin/attack_self(mob/user as mob)
 	interact(user)
diff --git a/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm b/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm
index 3d3adcf9339..36dca481c59 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/structures/musician.dm
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 /datum/song
 	var/name = "Untitled"
 	var/list/lines = new()
-	var/tempo = 5
+	var/tempo = 5			// delay between notes
 
 	var/playing = 0			// if we're playing
 	var/help = 0			// if help is open
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 	var/obj/instrumentObj = null	// the associated obj playing the sound
 
 /datum/song/New(dir, obj)
+	tempo = sanitize_tempo(tempo)
 	instrumentDir = dir
 	instrumentObj = obj
 
@@ -58,13 +59,17 @@
 	// and play
 	var/turf/source = get_turf(instrumentObj)
 	for(var/mob/M in hearers(15, source))
+		if(!M.client || !(M.client.prefs.toggles & SOUND_INSTRUMENTS))
+			continue
 		M.playsound_local(source, soundfile, 100, falloff = 5)
 
 /datum/song/proc/updateDialog(mob/user as mob)
 	instrumentObj.updateDialog()		// assumes it's an object in world, override if otherwise
 
-/datum/song/proc/shouldStopPlaying()
+/datum/song/proc/shouldStopPlaying(mob/user)
 	if(instrumentObj)
+		//if(!user.canUseTopic(instrumentObj)) 
+			//return 1
 		return !instrumentObj.anchored		// add special cases to stop in subclasses
 	else
 		return 1
@@ -84,7 +89,7 @@
 				var/list/notes = text2list(beat, "/")
 				for(var/note in text2list(notes[1], "-"))
 					//world << "note: [note]"
-					if(!playing || shouldStopPlaying())//If the instrument is playing, or special case
+					if(!playing || shouldStopPlaying(user))//If the instrument is playing, or special case
 						playing = 0
 						return
 					if(lentext(note) == 0)
@@ -104,7 +109,7 @@
 							cur_oct[cur_note] = text2num(ni)
 					playnote(cur_note, cur_acc[cur_note], cur_oct[cur_note])
 				if(notes.len >= 2 && text2num(notes[2]))
-					sleep(tempo / text2num(notes[2]))
+					sleep(sanitize_tempo(tempo / text2num(notes[2])))
 				else
 					sleep(tempo)
 		repeat--
@@ -136,10 +141,8 @@
 		dat += "<B><A href='?src=\ref[src];edit=1'>Hide Editor</A></B>"
 		dat += " <A href='?src=\ref[src];newsong=1'>Start a New Song</A>"
 		dat += " <A href='?src=\ref[src];import=1'>Import a Song</A><BR><BR>"
-		var/calctempo = round(600 / tempo)
-		var/calcstep = tempo - 600 / (calctempo+1)
-		var/calcstep_b = tempo - 600 / (calctempo+10)
-		dat += "Tempo: <A href='?src=\ref[src];tempo=[calcstep_b]'>-</A><A href='?src=\ref[src];tempo=[calcstep]'>-</A> [calctempo] BPM <A href='?src=\ref[src];tempo=-[calcstep]'>+</A><A href='?src=\ref[src];tempo=-[calcstep_b]'>+</A><BR><BR>"
+		var/bpm = round(600 / tempo)
+		dat += "Tempo: <A href='?src=\ref[src];tempo=[world.tick_lag]'>-</A> [bpm] BPM <A href='?src=\ref[src];tempo=-[world.tick_lag]'>+</A><BR><BR>"
 		var/linecount = 0
 		for(var/line in lines)
 			linecount += 1
@@ -183,7 +186,7 @@
 
 	if(href_list["newsong"])
 		lines = new()
-		tempo = 5 // default 120 BPM
+		tempo = sanitize_tempo(5) // default 120 BPM
 		name = ""
 
 	else if(href_list["import"])
@@ -203,10 +206,10 @@
 		spawn()
 			lines = text2list(t, "\n")
 			if(copytext(lines[1],1,6) == "BPM: ")
-				tempo = 600 / max(1, text2num(copytext(lines[1],6)))
+				tempo = sanitize_tempo(600 / text2num(copytext(lines[1],6)))
 				lines.Cut(1,2)
 			else
-				tempo = 5 // default 120 BPM
+				tempo = sanitize_tempo(5) // default 120 BPM
 			if(lines.len > 50)
 				usr << "Too many lines!"
 				lines.Cut(51)
@@ -235,11 +238,7 @@
 			repeat = max_repeats
 
 	else if(href_list["tempo"])
-		tempo += text2num(href_list["tempo"])
-		if(tempo < 1)
-			tempo = 1
-		if(tempo > 600)
-			tempo = 600
+		tempo = sanitize_tempo(tempo + text2num(href_list["tempo"]))
 
 	else if(href_list["play"])
 		playing = 1
@@ -279,6 +278,9 @@
 	updateDialog(usr)
 	return
 
+/datum/song/proc/sanitize_tempo(new_tempo)
+	new_tempo = abs(new_tempo)
+	return max(round(new_tempo, world.tick_lag), world.tick_lag)	
 
 // subclass for handheld instruments, like violin
 /datum/song/handheld
@@ -321,6 +323,10 @@
 	qdel(song)
 	song = null
 	return ..()
+	
+/obj/structure/piano/initialize()
+	song.tempo = song.sanitize_tempo(song.tempo) // tick_lag isn't set when the map is loaded
+	..()
 
 /obj/structure/piano/attack_hand(mob/user as mob)
 	interact(user)
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences_toggles.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences_toggles.dm
index 6463e65ada2..c79224d2e5a 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences_toggles.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences_toggles.dm
@@ -178,6 +178,19 @@
 		src << sound(null, repeat = 0, wait = 0, volume = 0, channel = 1)
 		src << sound(null, repeat = 0, wait = 0, volume = 0, channel = 2)
 	feedback_add_details("admin_verb","Thb") //If you are copy-pasting this, ensure the 2nd parameter is unique to the new proc!
+	
+// This needs a toggle because you people are awful and spammed terrible music
+/client/verb/toggle_instruments()
+	set name = "Hear/Silence Instruments"
+	set category = "Preferences"
+	set desc = "Toggles hearing musical instruments like the violin and piano"
+	prefs.toggles ^= SOUND_INSTRUMENTS
+	prefs.save_preferences()
+	if(prefs.toggles & SOUND_INSTRUMENTS)
+		src << "You will now hear people playing musical instruments."
+	else
+		src << "You will no longer hear musical instruments."
+	feedback_add_details("admin_verb","TInstru") //If you are copy-pasting this, ensure the 2nd parameter is unique to the new proc!
 
 //be special
 /client/verb/toggle_be_special(role in be_special_flags)