diff --git a/Themes/Til Death/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic decorations/wifeTwirl.lua b/Themes/Til Death/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic decorations/wifeTwirl.lua
index 7cbb740df5..1b723c8227 100644
--- a/Themes/Til Death/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic decorations/wifeTwirl.lua	
+++ b/Themes/Til Death/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic decorations/wifeTwirl.lua	
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ local songChanged2 = false
 local previewVisible = false
 local justChangedStyles = false
 local onlyChangedSteps = false
+local shouldPlayMusic = false
 local prevtab = 0
 
 local itsOn = false
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ local t =
 		local s = GAMESTATE:GetCurrentSong()
 		local unexpectedlyChangedSong = s ~= song
 
-		local shouldPlayMusic = false
+		shouldPlayMusic = false
 		-- should play the music because the notefield is visible
 		shouldPlayMusic = shouldPlayMusic or (noteField and mcbootlarder:GetChild("NoteField") and mcbootlarder:GetChild("NoteField"):IsVisible())
 		-- should play the music if we switched songs while on a different tab
@@ -200,10 +201,9 @@ local t =
 		-- should play the music if we already should and we either jumped song or we didnt change the style/song
 		shouldPlayMusic = shouldPlayMusic and ((not justChangedStyles and not onlyChangedSteps) or unexpectedlyChangedSong) and not tryingToStart
 
-		if s and shouldPlayMusic then
-			if mcbootlarder and mcbootlarder:GetChild("NoteField") then mcbootlarder:GetChild("NoteField"):diffusealpha(1) end
-			playMusicForPreview(s)
-		end
+		ms.ok(shouldPlayMusic and 1 or 0)
+		-- at this point the music will or will not play ....
+
 		boolthatgetssettotrueonsongchangebutonlyifonatabthatisntthisone = false
 		hackysack = false
 		justChangedStyles = false
@@ -211,6 +211,17 @@ local t =
 		songChanged = false
 		onlyChangedSteps = true
 	end,
+	PlayingSampleMusicMessageCommand = function(self)
+		-- delay setting the music for preview up until after the sample music starts (smoothness)
+		if shouldPlayMusic then
+			shouldPlayMusic = false
+			local s = GAMESTATE:GetCurrentSong()
+			if s then
+				if mcbootlarder and mcbootlarder:GetChild("NoteField") then mcbootlarder:GetChild("NoteField"):diffusealpha(1) end
+				playMusicForPreview(s)
+			end
+		end
+	end,
 	MintyFreshCommand = function(self)
 		self:finishtweening()
 		local bong = GAMESTATE:GetCurrentSong()