diff --git a/src/main.py b/src/main.py
index c7a4c61..c4b4fd1 100644
--- a/src/main.py
+++ b/src/main.py
@@ -8,23 +8,23 @@ import mp3
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    print("Loading project...")
-    test_project = Project(song_length=64,bpm=120)
+    """print("Loading project...")
+    test_project = Project(song_length=64,bpm=120,sample_rate=24000)
     
     screams = ProjectChannel(
         test_project,
-        name="screams of the damned",
+        name="Drums",
     )
     sample = AudioChannelChunk(
         screams,
-        *librosa.load("cool sample 2.mp3", sr=None, mono=False),
-        name="cool sample 2.mp3"
+        *librosa.load("120 bpm amen break.mp3", sr=None, mono=False),
+        name="120 bpm amen break.mp3"
     )
     screams.chunks.append(sample)
     
     test_project.channels.append(screams)
     
-    test_project.write_to_file("test_project.tdp")
+    test_project.write_to_file("test_project.tdp")"""
     #test_project = Project.from_file("test_project.tdp")
     
     # start the ui
diff --git a/src/song_player.py b/src/song_player.py
index 59af3f5..9cbf2fd 100644
--- a/src/song_player.py
+++ b/src/song_player.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import sounddevice as sd
 from project import Project
 from ui.widgets.play_head import PlayHead
+from textual.timer import Timer
 
 
 class SongPlayer:
@@ -13,6 +14,13 @@ class SongPlayer:
         
         self.timeline = timeline
         
+        # set up our timer for updating the ui playhead
+        self.timer = Timer(
+            timeline,
+            0.1,
+            pause=True
+        )
+        
     def play_callback(self, out, frames, time, status):
         if self.paused or self.audio is None:
             out.fill(0)
@@ -57,6 +65,7 @@ class SongPlayer:
     def pause(self):
         self.paused = True
         self.stream.close()
+        self.timer.pause()
         
         play_btn = self.timeline.app.query_one("#play-button")
         play_btn.variant = "success"
@@ -67,30 +76,30 @@ class SongPlayer:
         self.project = project
         self.audio = project.render()
         
+        self.timer.resume()
+        play_btn = self.timeline.app.query_one("#play-button")
+        play_btn.variant = "error"
+        play_btn.label = "⏸"
+        self.paused = False
         
         try:            
+            
+            
             if not self.stream.closed:
                 self.stream.close()
             
             self.stream = sd.OutputStream(
-                samplerate=project.sample_rate,
                 channels=self.audio.shape[1] if self.audio.ndim > 1 else 1,
                 callback=self.play_callback,
-                blocksize=256
+                blocksize=256,
+                device=7
             )
             
-            self.paused = False
-            
             self.stream.start()
             
-            
-            play_btn = self.timeline.app.query_one("#play-button")
-            play_btn.variant = "error"
-            play_btn.label = "⏸"
-            
             return True
         except sd.PortAudioError as e: # woopsies
-            self.paused = True
+            self.pause()
             self.timeline.app.notify(f"Error: \"{e}\"\n\nSometimes errors can occur if the device you selected in your settings doesn't exist, or it's already in use.", title="Error while playing song", timeout=60, severity="error")
         
         return False
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test_project.tdp b/src/test_project.tdp
index 188de2d..1b36e63 100644
Binary files a/src/test_project.tdp and b/src/test_project.tdp differ
diff --git a/src/ui/widgets/channel.py b/src/ui/widgets/channel.py
index 292e84f..c976e5d 100644
--- a/src/ui/widgets/channel.py
+++ b/src/ui/widgets/channel.py
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ class Channel(VerticalGroup):
         if event.slider.id == "volume":
             self.volume = round(event.value, 2)
             self.query_one("#volume-text").update(f"Volume ({self.volume}Db):")
+        
+            self.project_channel.volume = self.volume
         elif event.slider.id == "pan":
             self.pan = round(event.value)
             pan_text = self.query_one("#pan-text")
@@ -81,6 +83,8 @@ class Channel(VerticalGroup):
                 pan_text.update(f"Pan ({-self.pan}% left):")
             elif self.pan > 0:
                 pan_text.update(f"Pan ({self.pan}% right):")
+                
+            self.project_channel.pan = self.pan
     
     def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
         yield Input(placeholder="Channel Name", compact=True, id="name", value=self.channel_name)
diff --git a/src/ui/widgets/timeline.py b/src/ui/widgets/timeline.py
index 9657a5e..90e6f40 100644
--- a/src/ui/widgets/timeline.py
+++ b/src/ui/widgets/timeline.py
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ class Timeline(Vertical):
         for row in self.query(TimelineRow):
             row.styles.width = self.bar_offset * self.app.project.song_length
         
+    @on(events.Timer)
+    async def playhead_timer_tick(self, event: events.Timer):
+        await self.song_player.update_visual_playhead()
+        
     @on(events.MouseScrollDown)
     async def mouse_scroll_down(self, event: events.MouseScrollDown):
         self.app.zoom_level += (self.app.scroll_sensitivity_x / 200)