diff --git a/plugin/ic1.cpp b/plugin/ic1.cpp
index 7cdd28f..9d0d811 100644
--- a/plugin/ic1.cpp
+++ b/plugin/ic1.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void Assigner::handleMidi(const MidiEvent *ev) {
             noteOn(ev->data[1]);
             break;
         default:
-            printf("handle event, status %02x value %02x\n", ev->data[0], ev->data[1]);
+            d_debug("unhandled MIDI event, status %02x value %02x\n", ev->data[0], ev->data[1]);
             break;
     }
 }
diff --git a/plugin/ic29.cpp b/plugin/ic29.cpp
index c1d2185..ebdc626 100644
--- a/plugin/ic29.cpp
+++ b/plugin/ic29.cpp
@@ -18,23 +18,21 @@
 
 #include "ic29.hpp"
 
-
 Synth s;
 
-
 Synth::Synth() {
-    printf("initialising synth\n");
+    d_debug("initialising synth\n");
     envAtk = 0x007f;
     envDcy = envRls = 0xfe90;
     envStn = 0x1fff;
 }
 
 void Synth::run() {
-    //printf("called synth::run()\n");
-    //printf("%d\n", voices[0].env.phase);
-    for (uint8_t i=0; i<NUM_VOICES; i++) {
-        s.voices[i].env.run();
+    // handle a "loop" worth of envelopes, pitch calculations, etc
+    // callled once every 4.3ms block of samples
 
+    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < NUM_VOICES; i++) {
+        s.voices[i].env.run();
     }
 }
 
@@ -42,6 +40,9 @@ void Synth::voiceOn(uint8_t voice, uint8_t note) {
     // enable synth voice, start it all running
     voice &= 0x7f;
     s.voices[voice].env.on();
+
+    // FIXME determine if we need to reset the counter
+    s.voices[voice].note = note;
 }
 
 void Synth::voiceOff(uint8_t voice) {
diff --git a/plugin/ic29.hpp b/plugin/ic29.hpp
index e426f7e..3f0b94a 100644
--- a/plugin/ic29.hpp
+++ b/plugin/ic29.hpp
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@
 
 #include "peacock.hpp"
 
-
-
 class Envelope {
    public:
     Envelope();
diff --git a/plugin/peacock.cpp b/plugin/peacock.cpp
index c556b4a..a8b556d 100644
--- a/plugin/peacock.cpp
+++ b/plugin/peacock.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 */
 
 #include "peacock.hpp"
+
 #include "ic1.hpp"
 #include "ic29.hpp"
 
@@ -28,20 +29,56 @@ Peacock::Peacock() : Plugin(paramCount, 0, 0), sampleRate(getSampleRate()) {
     s.run();
 }
 
+void Peacock::runMidi(const MidiEvent *ev, uint32_t count, uint32_t timeLimit) {
+    // handle MIDI events, starting at lastEvent and continuing until timeLimit
+
+    if (count == 0) return;  // no events to do, at all
+
+    for (uint32_t i = lastEvent; i < count; i++) {
+        if (ev[i].frame > timeLimit) break;  // exceeded the time limit
+        ic1.handleMidi((const MidiEvent *)&ev[i]);
+    }
+}
+
 void Peacock::run(const float **, float **outputs, uint32_t frames, const MidiEvent *midiEvents, uint32_t midiEventCount) {
     // no content yet
     // dispose of parameters
     (void)outputs;
-    (void)frames;
 
-    //printf("got %d MIDI events\n", midiEventCount);
-    for(uint32_t i=0; i<midiEventCount; i++) {
-        ic1.handleMidi((const MidiEvent *) &midiEvents[i]);
+    // calculate an entire jack period's worth of samples
+    // harder than it sounds because for short jack periods there may be many
+    // such calls between 4.3ms control updates, or there may be many updates
+    // within a single update
 
+    uint32_t framePos = 0;  // sample position within current frame
 
+    // blockLeft is how many samples are left within this 4.3ms block
+    // framesleft is how many samples are left within this jack period
+    // the names are awful, I should FIXME this for legibility
+    uint32_t sizeThisTime = (framesLeft < blockLeft) ? framesLeft : blockLeft;
+
+    framesLeft = frames;  // number of frames left to calculate
+
+    // now we'll handle MIDI events up to however long is left in this block
+    lastEvent = 0;
+    runMidi(midiEvents, midiEventCount, blockLeft);
+
+    while (framePos < frames) {
+        if (blockLeft == 0) {
+            blockLeft = (int)(getSampleRate() * 0.0043);  // how many samples per 4.3ms block?
+
+            // handle all MIDI events for this block, up to the end of the block and frame
+            runMidi(midiEvents, midiEventCount, framePos + blockLeft);
+            s.run();
+        }
+        sizeThisTime = (framesLeft < blockLeft) ? framesLeft : blockLeft;
+
+        // run every synth voice into the buffer here FIXME
+
+        framePos += sizeThisTime;  // move along the frame
+        framesLeft -= sizeThisTime;
+        blockLeft -= sizeThisTime;
     }
-    s.run();
-
 }
 
 Plugin *createPlugin() { return new Peacock(); }
diff --git a/plugin/peacock.hpp b/plugin/peacock.hpp
index ca9fc0f..961eeaf 100644
--- a/plugin/peacock.hpp
+++ b/plugin/peacock.hpp
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 
 START_NAMESPACE_DISTRHO
 
-
 class Peacock : public Plugin {
    public:
     enum Parameters {
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@ class Peacock : public Plugin {
     Peacock();
 
    protected:
-
     float sampleRate;
 
     const char *getLabel() const override { return "peacock-8"; }
@@ -48,22 +46,25 @@ class Peacock : public Plugin {
     int64_t getUniqueId() const override { return d_cconst('P', 'f', 'a', 'u'); }
 
     // Initialisation
-    //void initAudioPort(bool input, uint32_t index, AudioPort &port) override;
-    //void initParameter(uint32_t index, Parameter &parameter) override;
+    // void initAudioPort(bool input, uint32_t index, AudioPort &port) override;
+    // void initParameter(uint32_t index, Parameter &parameter) override;
 
-    //void setParameterValue(uint32_t index, float value) override;
-    //float getParameterValue(uint32_t index) const override;
+    // void setParameterValue(uint32_t index, float value) override;
+    // float getParameterValue(uint32_t index) const override;
 
     // Processing
-    //void activate() override;
-    //void deactivate() override;
+    // void activate() override;
+    // void deactivate() override;
     void run(const float **, float **outputs, uint32_t frames, const MidiEvent *midiEvents, uint32_t midiEventCount) override;
 
-
    private:
+    uint32_t framesLeft = 0;
+    uint32_t blockLeft = 0;
+    uint32_t lastEvent = 0;
+
+    void runMidi(const MidiEvent *ev, uint32_t count, uint32_t timeLimit);
 
     DISTRHO_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE_WITH_LEAK_DETECTOR(Peacock);
 };
 
 END_NAMESPACE_DISTRHO
-