diff --git a/cmd/sointu-track/main.go b/cmd/sointu-track/main.go
index 0800725..794a6fa 100644
--- a/cmd/sointu-track/main.go
+++ b/cmd/sointu-track/main.go
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ func main() {
 	defer midiContext.Close()
 	midiContext.TryToOpenBy(*defaultMidiInput, *firstMidiInput)
 	broker := tracker.NewBroker()
-	model, player := tracker.NewModelPlayer(broker, cmd.MainSynther, midiContext, recoveryFile)
+	model := tracker.NewModel(broker, cmd.MainSynther, midiContext, recoveryFile)
+	player := tracker.NewPlayer(broker, cmd.MainSynther)
 	detector := tracker.NewDetector(broker)
 	go detector.Run()
 
diff --git a/cmd/sointu-vsti/main.go b/cmd/sointu-vsti/main.go
index fa24832..3f44903 100644
--- a/cmd/sointu-vsti/main.go
+++ b/cmd/sointu-vsti/main.go
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ func init() {
 			recoveryFile = filepath.Join(configDir, "sointu", "sointu-vsti-recovery-"+hex.EncodeToString(randBytes))
 		}
 		broker := tracker.NewBroker()
-		model, player := tracker.NewModelPlayer(broker, cmd.MainSynther, NullMIDIContext{}, recoveryFile)
+		model := tracker.NewModel(broker, cmd.MainSynther, NullMIDIContext{}, recoveryFile)
+		player := tracker.NewPlayer(broker, cmd.MainSynther)
 		detector := tracker.NewDetector(broker)
 		go detector.Run()
 
diff --git a/tracker/model.go b/tracker/model.go
index ad429f1..316f8cb 100644
--- a/tracker/model.go
+++ b/tracker/model.go
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func (m *Model) Quitted() bool                { return m.quitted }
 func (m *Model) DetectorResult() DetectorResult { return m.detectorResult }
 
 // NewModelPlayer creates a new model and a player that communicates with it
-func NewModelPlayer(broker *Broker, synther sointu.Synther, midiContext MIDIContext, recoveryFilePath string) (*Model, *Player) {
+func NewModel(broker *Broker, synther sointu.Synther, midiContext MIDIContext, recoveryFilePath string) *Model {
 	m := new(Model)
 	m.synther = synther
 	m.MIDI = midiContext
@@ -199,15 +199,9 @@ func NewModelPlayer(broker *Broker, synther sointu.Synther, midiContext MIDICont
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	trySend(broker.ToPlayer, any(m.d.Song.Copy())) // we should be non-blocking in the constructor
 	m.signalAnalyzer = NewScopeModel(broker, m.d.Song.BPM)
-	p := &Player{
-		broker:  broker,
-		synther: synther,
-		song:    m.d.Song.Copy(),
-		loop:    m.loop,
-	}
-	p.compileOrUpdateSynth()
-	return m, p
+	return m
 }
 
 func (m *Model) change(kind string, t ChangeType, severity ChangeSeverity) func() {
diff --git a/tracker/model_test.go b/tracker/model_test.go
index 0810294..8e41bfc 100644
--- a/tracker/model_test.go
+++ b/tracker/model_test.go
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ func FuzzModel(f *testing.F) {
 		reader := bytes.NewReader(slice)
 		synther := vm.GoSynther{}
 		broker := tracker.NewBroker()
-		model, player := tracker.NewModelPlayer(broker, synther, NullContext{}, "")
+		model := tracker.NewModel(broker, synther, NullContext{}, "")
+		player := tracker.NewPlayer(broker, synther)
 		buf := make([][2]float32, 2048)
 		closeChan := make(chan struct{})
 		go func() {
diff --git a/tracker/player.go b/tracker/player.go
index 802d9cf..6137ece 100644
--- a/tracker/player.go
+++ b/tracker/player.go
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ const (
 
 const numRenderTries = 10000
 
+func NewPlayer(broker *Broker, synther sointu.Synther) *Player {
+	return &Player{
+		broker:  broker,
+		synther: synther,
+	}
+}
+
 // Process renders audio to the given buffer, trying to fill it completely. If
 // the buffer is not filled, the synth is destroyed and an error is sent to the
 // model. context tells the player which MIDI events happen during the current