diff --git a/public/config.json b/public/config.json
index 8d398c7..fdbb182 100644
--- a/public/config.json
+++ b/public/config.json
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
     },
     "audio": {
         "enable_audio_capture_for_screen_sharing": false,
-        "lookahead_time": 0.05
+        "lookahead_time": 0.05,
+        "playback_delay": 0.2
     },
     "templates": {
         "custom_instructions": ""
diff --git a/src/components/settings/sections/BehaviorSettings.tsx b/src/components/settings/sections/BehaviorSettings.tsx
index 02b7b25..eed41ea 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/sections/BehaviorSettings.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/sections/BehaviorSettings.tsx
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ import { KGAudioInterface } from '../../../core/audio-interface/KGAudioInterface
 const BehaviorSettings: React.FC = () => {
   const [chatboxDefaultOpen, setChatboxDefaultOpen] = useState<boolean>(true);
   const [audioLookaheadTime, setAudioLookaheadTime] = useState<string>('50');
+  const [playbackDelay, setPlaybackDelay] = useState<string>('200');
   const [enableAudioCapture, setEnableAudioCapture] = useState<boolean>(false);
-  const [validationErrors, setValidationErrors] = useState<string[]>([]);
+  const [lookaheadValidationErrors, setLookaheadValidationErrors] = useState<string[]>([]);
+  const [playbackDelayValidationErrors, setPlaybackDelayValidationErrors] = useState<string[]>([]);
 
   const configManager = ConfigManager.instance();
 
@@ -20,6 +22,8 @@ const BehaviorSettings: React.FC = () => {
       setChatboxDefaultOpen((configManager.get('chatbox.default_open') as boolean) ?? true);
       const lookaheadTimeSeconds = (configManager.get('audio.lookahead_time') as number) ?? 0.05;
       setAudioLookaheadTime(((lookaheadTimeSeconds * 1000).toFixed(0)));
+      const playbackDelaySeconds = (configManager.get('audio.playback_delay') as number) ?? 0.2;
+      setPlaybackDelay(((playbackDelaySeconds * 1000).toFixed(0)));
       setEnableAudioCapture((configManager.get('audio.enable_audio_capture_for_screen_sharing') as boolean) ?? false);
     };
 
@@ -48,7 +52,7 @@ const BehaviorSettings: React.FC = () => {
       errors.push('Lookahead time must be between 0 and 0.5 seconds (0-500ms)');
     }
 
-    setValidationErrors(errors);
+    setLookaheadValidationErrors(errors);
 
     // Only apply if valid
     if (errors.length === 0) {
@@ -63,6 +67,32 @@ const BehaviorSettings: React.FC = () => {
     }
   };
 
+  const handlePlaybackDelayChange = async (value: string) => {
+    // Allow empty string, treat as 0 ms
+    const numValueMs = value === '' ? 0 : parseFloat(value);
+    const numValueSeconds = numValueMs / 1000;
+    const errors: string[] = [];
+
+    // Validate the input
+    if (isNaN(numValueMs)) {
+      errors.push('Playback delay must be a valid number');
+    } else if (numValueSeconds < 0) {
+      errors.push('Playback delay must be between 0 and 0.5 seconds (0-500ms)');
+    } else if (numValueSeconds > 0.5) {
+      errors.push('Playback delay must be between 0 and 0.5 seconds (0-500ms)');
+    }
+
+    setPlaybackDelayValidationErrors(errors);
+
+    // Only apply if valid
+    if (errors.length === 0) {
+      setPlaybackDelay(value);
+      await configManager.set('audio.playback_delay', numValueSeconds);
+
+      console.log(`Playback delay changed to: ${numValueSeconds}s (${numValueMs}ms)`);
+    }
+  };
+
   const handleEnableAudioCaptureChange = async (value: string) => {
     const boolValue = value === 'yes';
     setEnableAudioCapture(boolValue);
@@ -110,9 +140,9 @@ const BehaviorSettings: React.FC = () => {
               max="500"
               step="1"
             />
-            {validationErrors.length > 0 && (
+            {lookaheadValidationErrors.length > 0 && (
               <div className="settings-validation-errors">
-                {validationErrors.map((error, index) => (
+                {lookaheadValidationErrors.map((error, index) => (
                   <div key={index} className="settings-validation-error">
                     {error}
                   </div>
@@ -124,6 +154,33 @@ const BehaviorSettings: React.FC = () => {
             </div>
           </div>
 
+          <div className="settings-item">
+            <label className="settings-label">
+              Playback Delay (ms)
+            </label>
+            <input
+              type="number"
+              className="settings-select"
+              value={playbackDelay}
+              onChange={(e) => handlePlaybackDelayChange(e.target.value)}
+              min="0"
+              max="500"
+              step="1"
+            />
+            {playbackDelayValidationErrors.length > 0 && (
+              <div className="settings-validation-errors">
+                {playbackDelayValidationErrors.map((error, index) => (
+                  <div key={index} className="settings-validation-error">
+                    {error}
+                  </div>
+                ))}
+              </div>
+            )}
+            <div className="settings-help" style={{ fontSize: '12px', color: '#888', marginTop: '4px' }}>
+              Playback will start with a short delay after pressing the start button (0-500ms). Increasing this value might help stabilize playback, especially for the first few ticks if the lookahead value is too low. Changes apply immediately without restart.
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
           <div className="settings-item">
             <label className="settings-label">
               Capture Audio for Screen Sharing
diff --git a/src/core/KGCore.ts b/src/core/KGCore.ts
index 6aea432..381fa62 100644
--- a/src/core/KGCore.ts
+++ b/src/core/KGCore.ts
@@ -320,9 +320,19 @@ export class KGCore {
 
     // Calculate current playhead position based on elapsed time
     const elapsedMs = performance.now() - this.playbackStartTime;
+
+    // Get playback delay from config
+    const configManager = ConfigManager.instance();
+    const playbackDelaySeconds = (configManager.get('audio.playback_delay') as number) ?? 0.2;
+    const playbackDelayMs = playbackDelaySeconds * 1000;
+
+    // Subtract the delay from elapsed time for visual sync
+    // During the initial delay period, playhead stays at start position
+    const adjustedElapsedMs = Math.max(0, elapsedMs - playbackDelayMs);
+
     const bpm = this.currentProject.getBpm();
     const beatsPerMs = bpm / (60 * 1000);
-    const newPosition = this.playbackStartPosition + (elapsedMs * beatsPerMs);
+    const newPosition = this.playbackStartPosition + (adjustedElapsedMs * beatsPerMs);
     
     // Stop playback at the end of project (maxBars)
     const maxBars = this.currentProject.getMaxBars();
diff --git a/src/core/audio-interface/KGAudioInterface.ts b/src/core/audio-interface/KGAudioInterface.ts
index 75d91c4..3b5bd4d 100644
--- a/src/core/audio-interface/KGAudioInterface.ts
+++ b/src/core/audio-interface/KGAudioInterface.ts
@@ -64,8 +64,10 @@ export class KGAudioInterface {
     }
 
     try {
+      const configManager = ConfigManager.instance();
+
       // Reduce lookahead time to 0.05 seconds to improve MIDI input responsiveness
-      Tone.getContext().lookAhead = 0.05;
+      Tone.getContext().lookAhead = configManager.get('audio.lookahead_time') as number;
 
       // Set up master gain for volume control
       this.masterGain = new Tone.Gain(this.masterVolume).toDestination();
@@ -75,7 +77,6 @@ export class KGAudioInterface {
       Tone.Transport.timeSignature = [TIME_CONSTANTS.DEFAULT_TIME_SIGNATURE.numerator, TIME_CONSTANTS.DEFAULT_TIME_SIGNATURE.denominator]; // Default time signature
       
       // Check config and setup audio capture if enabled
-      const configManager = ConfigManager.instance();
       const enableCapture = configManager.get('audio.enable_audio_capture_for_screen_sharing') as boolean;
       
       if (enableCapture) {
@@ -253,7 +254,11 @@ export class KGAudioInterface {
     this.clearScheduledEvents();
 
     console.log("Preparing playback");
-    
+
+    // Get playback delay from ConfigManager
+    const configManager = ConfigManager.instance();
+    const playbackDelay = (configManager.get('audio.playback_delay') as number) ?? 0.2;
+
     try {
       // Set project BPM and time signature FIRST (this affects timing calculations)
       Tone.Transport.bpm.value = project.getBpm();
@@ -295,21 +300,21 @@ export class KGAudioInterface {
                   // Convert beats to Tone.js time format for scheduling
                   const noteStartTime = this.beatsToToneTime(noteStartBeat);
                   const noteDuration = this.beatsToToneTime(noteDurationBeats);
-                  
+
                   // Convert MIDI note number to note name
                   const noteName = pitchToNoteNameString(note.getPitch());
                   const velocity = note.getVelocity() / 127; // Normalize to 0-1
-                  
+
                   console.log(
-                    `Scheduling note ${noteName} at beat ${Number(noteStartBeat.toFixed ? noteStartBeat.toFixed(3) : noteStartBeat.toLocaleString(undefined, {maximumFractionDigits: 3}))}, Tone time: ${Number(Number(noteStartTime).toFixed(3))}, duration: ${Number(Number(noteDuration).toFixed(3))}`
+                    `Scheduling note ${noteName} at beat ${Number(noteStartBeat.toFixed ? noteStartBeat.toFixed(3) : noteStartBeat.toLocaleString(undefined, {maximumFractionDigits: 3}))}, Tone time: ${Number(Number(noteStartTime).toFixed(3))}, duration: ${Number(Number(noteDuration).toFixed(3))}, delay: ${playbackDelay}s`
                   );
-                  
-                  // Schedule the note
+
+                  // Schedule the note with delay offset
                   const eventId = Tone.Transport.schedule((time) => {
                     // Check if track should play considering solo logic
                     const hasSoloedTracks = this.hasSoloedTracks();
                     if (audioBus.shouldPlayWithSolo(hasSoloedTracks)) {
-                      audioBus.triggerAttackRelease(noteName, noteDuration, time, velocity);
+                      audioBus.triggerAttackRelease(noteName, noteDuration, time + playbackDelay, velocity);
                     }
                   }, noteStartTime);
                   
diff --git a/src/core/config/ConfigManager.ts b/src/core/config/ConfigManager.ts
index bd77f9a..7a9cedb 100644
--- a/src/core/config/ConfigManager.ts
+++ b/src/core/config/ConfigManager.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ interface AppConfig {
   audio: {
     enable_audio_capture_for_screen_sharing: boolean;
     lookahead_time: number;
+    playback_delay: number;
   };
   templates: {
     custom_instructions: string;
@@ -229,7 +230,8 @@ export class ConfigManager {
         },
         audio: {
           enable_audio_capture_for_screen_sharing: false,
-          lookahead_time: 0.05
+          lookahead_time: 0.05,
+          playback_delay: 0.2
         },
         templates: {
           custom_instructions: ''