diff --git a/Content.Client/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs b/Content.Client/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs
index 7d06a4d41f..039290ccd5 100644
--- a/Content.Client/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
 
         [CanBeNull]
         private IMidiRenderer _renderer;
-        private int _instrumentProgram = 1;
+        private byte _instrumentProgram = 1;
 
         [ViewVariables]
         private readonly Queue<ValueTuple<MidiEvent, double>> _midiQueue = new Queue<(MidiEvent, double)>();
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
         ///     Changes the instrument the midi renderer will play.
         /// </summary>
         [ViewVariables(VVAccess.ReadWrite)]
-        public int InstrumentProgram
+        public byte InstrumentProgram
         {
             get => _instrumentProgram;
             set
@@ -91,10 +91,23 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
         [ViewVariables]
         public bool IsInputOpen => _renderer?.Status == MidiRendererStatus.Input;
 
+        /// <summary>
+        ///     Whether the midi renderer is alive or not.
+        /// </summary>
+        [ViewVariables]
+        public bool IsRendererAlive => _renderer != null;
+
         public override void Initialize()
         {
             base.Initialize();
             IoCManager.InjectDependencies(this);
+        }
+
+        protected void SetupRenderer()
+        {
+            if (IsRendererAlive)
+                return;
+
             _renderer = _midiManager.GetNewRenderer();
 
             if (_renderer != null)
@@ -105,16 +118,22 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
             }
         }
 
+        protected void EndRenderer()
+        {
+            Timer.Spawn(1000, () => { _renderer?.Dispose(); });
+            _renderer = null;
+        }
+
         protected override void Shutdown()
         {
             base.Shutdown();
-            _renderer?.Dispose();
+            EndRenderer();
         }
 
         public override void ExposeData(ObjectSerializer serializer)
         {
             base.ExposeData(serializer);
-            serializer.DataField(ref _instrumentProgram, "program", 1);
+            serializer.DataField(ref _instrumentProgram, "program", (byte)1);
         }
 
         public override void HandleNetworkMessage(ComponentMessage message, INetChannel channel, ICommonSession session = null)
@@ -130,7 +149,7 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
             {
                 case InstrumentMidiEventMessage midiEventMessage:
                     // If we're the ones sending the MidiEvents, we ignore this message.
-                    if (IsInputOpen || IsMidiOpen) break;
+                    if (!IsRendererAlive || IsInputOpen || IsMidiOpen) break;
                     for (var i = 0; i < midiEventMessage.MidiEvent.Length; i++)
                     {
                         //_midiQueue.Enqueue((midiEventMessage.MidiEvent[i], (i == 0 ? 0 : 0) + _gameTiming.CurTime.TotalSeconds - midiEventMessage.Timestamp[i]));
@@ -146,12 +165,19 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
                     if (IsInputOpen) CloseInput();
                     if (IsMidiOpen) CloseMidi();
                     break;
+
+                case InstrumentStartMidiMessage _:
+                    SetupRenderer();
+                    break;
             }
         }
 
         /// <inheritdoc cref="MidiRenderer.OpenInput"/>
         public bool OpenInput()
         {
+            SetupRenderer();
+            SendNetworkMessage(new InstrumentStartMidiMessage());
+
             if (_renderer != null && _renderer.OpenInput())
             {
                 _renderer.OnMidiEvent += RendererOnMidiEvent;
@@ -169,13 +195,16 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
                 return false;
             }
 
-            _renderer.OnMidiEvent -= RendererOnMidiEvent;
+            EndRenderer();
             return true;
         }
 
         /// <inheritdoc cref="MidiRenderer.OpenMidi(string)"/>
         public bool OpenMidi(string filename)
         {
+            SetupRenderer();
+            SendNetworkMessage(new InstrumentStartMidiMessage());
+
             if (_renderer == null || !_renderer.OpenMidi(filename))
             {
                 return false;
@@ -193,7 +222,7 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
                 return false;
             }
 
-            _renderer.OnMidiEvent -= RendererOnMidiEvent;
+            EndRenderer();
             return true;
         }
 
@@ -206,7 +235,7 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
             _midiQueue.Enqueue((midiEvent, _gameTiming.CurTime.TotalSeconds));
         }
 
-        public void Update(float delta)
+        public override void Update(float delta)
         {
             _timer -= delta;
 
diff --git a/Content.Server/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs b/Content.Server/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs
index b6512b8ee6..e7c01d61a8 100644
--- a/Content.Server/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs
+++ b/Content.Server/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/InstrumentComponent.cs
@@ -18,12 +18,17 @@ namespace Content.Server.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
     public class InstrumentComponent : SharedInstrumentComponent,
         IDropped, IHandSelected, IHandDeselected, IActivate, IUse, IThrown
     {
+        public const int MidiEventsPerSecond = 10;
+
         /// <summary>
         ///     The client channel currently playing the instrument, or null if there's none.
         /// </summary>
         private ICommonSession _instrumentPlayer;
         private bool _handheld;
 
+        private float _timer = 0f;
+        private int _midiEventCount = 1;
+
         [ViewVariables]
         private BoundUserInterface _userInterface;
 
@@ -57,6 +62,12 @@ namespace Content.Server.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
                 case InstrumentMidiEventMessage midiEventMsg:
                     SendNetworkMessage(midiEventMsg);
                     break;
+                case InstrumentStartMidiMessage startMidi:
+                    SendNetworkMessage(startMidi);
+                    break;
+                case InstrumentStopMidiMessage stopMidi:
+                    SendNetworkMessage(stopMidi);
+                    break;
             }
         }
 
@@ -124,5 +135,10 @@ namespace Content.Server.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
         {
             _userInterface.Open(session);
         }
+
+        public override void Update(float delta)
+        {
+            base.Update(delta);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Content.Shared/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/SharedInstrumentComponent.cs b/Content.Shared/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/SharedInstrumentComponent.cs
index 9734425b3c..96d3ab9fc4 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/SharedInstrumentComponent.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/GameObjects/Components/Instruments/SharedInstrumentComponent.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ namespace Content.Shared.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
     {
         public override string Name => "Instrument";
         public override uint? NetID => ContentNetIDs.INSTRUMENTS;
+
+        public virtual void Update(float delta)
+        {
+        }
     }
 
 
@@ -20,6 +24,14 @@ namespace Content.Shared.GameObjects.Components.Instruments
     {
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     This message is sent to the client to start the synth.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Serializable, NetSerializable]
+    public class InstrumentStartMidiMessage : ComponentMessage
+    {
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     ///     This message carries a MidiEvent to be played on clients.
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/Content.Shared/GameObjects/EntitySystems/SharedInstrumentSystem.cs b/Content.Shared/GameObjects/EntitySystems/SharedInstrumentSystem.cs
index 6303475c30..577d1542bd 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/GameObjects/EntitySystems/SharedInstrumentSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/GameObjects/EntitySystems/SharedInstrumentSystem.cs
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-using Content.Client.GameObjects.Components.Instruments;
+using Content.Shared.GameObjects.Components.Instruments;
 using Robust.Shared.GameObjects;
 using Robust.Shared.GameObjects.Systems;
 
-namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.EntitySystems
+namespace Content.Shared.GameObjects.EntitySystems
 {
     public class InstrumentSystem : EntitySystem
     {
         public override void Initialize()
         {
             base.Initialize();
-            EntityQuery = new TypeEntityQuery(typeof(InstrumentComponent));
+            EntityQuery = new TypeEntityQuery(typeof(SharedInstrumentComponent));
         }
 
         public override void Update(float frameTime)
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ namespace Content.Client.GameObjects.EntitySystems
 
             foreach (var entity in RelevantEntities)
             {
-                entity.GetComponent<InstrumentComponent>().Update(frameTime);
+                entity.GetComponent<SharedInstrumentComponent>().Update(frameTime);
             }
         }
     }