diff --git a/Timeline/Audio_Region.C b/Timeline/Audio_Region.C
index a442151..cd5c4bc 100644
--- a/Timeline/Audio_Region.C
+++ b/Timeline/Audio_Region.C
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ Audio_Region::menu_cb ( const Fl_Menu_ *m )
     {
         nframes_t offset = x_to_offset( Fl::event_x() );
 
-        if ( offset < length() )
+        if ( offset > 0 )
             _loop = offset;
     }
     else
@@ -656,12 +656,14 @@ Audio_Region::draw ( void )
 
     if ( _loop )
     {
+        const int x = timeline->ts_to_x( _loop - offset );
+
         /* FIXME: is there no way to draw these symbols direclty? */
         fl_font( FL_SYMBOL, 14 );
         fl_color( FL_WHITE );
-        fl_draw( "@2>", X + timeline->ts_to_x( _loop - start ), y(), 14, 14, (Fl_Align)(FL_ALIGN_LEFT | FL_ALIGN_BOTTOM), 0, 1 );
+        fl_draw( "@2>", X + x - 7, y(), 14, 14, (Fl_Align)(FL_ALIGN_LEFT | FL_ALIGN_BOTTOM), 0, 1 );
         fl_color( FL_WHITE );
-        fl_draw( "@2<", X + timeline->ts_to_x( _loop - start ), y() + h() - 14, 14, 14, (Fl_Align)(FL_ALIGN_LEFT | FL_ALIGN_BOTTOM), 0, 1 );
+        fl_draw( "@2<", X + x - 7, y() + h() - 14, 14, 14, (Fl_Align)(FL_ALIGN_LEFT | FL_ALIGN_BOTTOM), 0, 1 );
     }
 
     timeline->draw_measure_lines( X, Y, W, H, _box_color );
diff --git a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File.H b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File.H
index aea0d80..10761c0 100644
--- a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File.H
+++ b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File.H
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public:
     virtual void close ( void ) = 0;
     virtual void seek ( nframes_t offset ) = 0;
     virtual nframes_t read ( sample_t *buf, int channel, nframes_t len ) = 0;
-    virtual nframes_t read ( sample_t *buf, int channel, nframes_t start, nframes_t end ) = 0;
+    virtual nframes_t read ( sample_t *buf, int channel, nframes_t start, nframes_t len ) = 0;
     virtual nframes_t write ( sample_t *buf, nframes_t len ) = 0;
 
     virtual void finalize ( void ) { _peaks.finish_writing(); }
diff --git a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.C b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.C
index e32693d..ef2f164 100644
--- a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.C
+++ b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.C
@@ -206,22 +206,20 @@ Audio_File_SF::read ( sample_t *buf, int channel, nframes_t len )
 
 /** read samples from /start/ to /end/ into /buf/ */
 nframes_t
-Audio_File_SF::read ( sample_t *buf, int channel, nframes_t start, nframes_t end )
+Audio_File_SF::read ( sample_t *buf, int channel, nframes_t start, nframes_t len )
 {
-    assert( end > start );
-
     lock();
 //    open();
 
     seek( start );
 
-    nframes_t len = read( buf, channel, end - start );
+    nframes_t cnt = read( buf, channel, len );
 
     unlock();
 
 //    close();
 
-    return len;
+    return cnt;
 }
 
 /** write /nframes/ from /buf/ to soundfile. Should be interleaved for
diff --git a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.H b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.H
index fce6e60..8ab9a75 100644
--- a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.H
+++ b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_File_SF.H
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public:
     void close ( void );
     void seek ( nframes_t offset );
     nframes_t read ( sample_t *buf, int channel, nframes_t len );
-    nframes_t read ( sample_t *buf, int channel,  nframes_t start, nframes_t end );
+    nframes_t read ( sample_t *buf, int channel,  nframes_t start, nframes_t len );
     nframes_t write ( sample_t *buf, nframes_t nframes );
 
 };
diff --git a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_Region.C b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_Region.C
index 2fb8932..1b491de 100644
--- a/Timeline/Engine/Audio_Region.C
+++ b/Timeline/Engine/Audio_Region.C
@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ Audio_Region::read ( sample_t *buf, nframes_t pos, nframes_t nframes, int channe
 //    const nframes_t start = ofs + r.start + sofs;
     const nframes_t start =  r.offset + sofs;
     const nframes_t len = min( cnt, nframes - ofs );
-    const nframes_t end = start + len;
 
     if ( len == 0 )
         return 0;
@@ -117,7 +116,24 @@ Audio_Region::read ( sample_t *buf, nframes_t pos, nframes_t nframes, int channe
 
     //    printf( "reading region ofs = %lu, sofs = %lu, %lu-%lu\n", ofs, sofs, start, end  );
 
-    cnt = _clip->read( buf + ofs, channel, start, end );
+    if ( _loop )
+    {
+
+/*         /\* keep things simple *\/ */
+/*         assert( _loop > len ); */
+
+        nframes_t lstart = r.offset + ( sofs % _loop );
+
+        cnt = _clip->read( buf + ofs, channel, lstart, len );
+
+/*             /\* read the part before the loop point *\/ */
+/*             cnt = _clip->read( buf + ofs, channel, start, min( len, _loop - start ) ); */
+/*             /\* read the part after the loop point *\/ */
+/*             cnt += _clip->read( buf + ofs + cnt, channel, _loop, len - cnt ); */
+
+    }
+    else
+        cnt = _clip->read( buf + ofs, channel, start, len );
 
     /* apply gain */