diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/mix.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/mix.rb
index 3b592834d..6e894561a 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/mix.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/mix.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ module JamRuby
 
     MAX_MIX_TIME = 7200     # 2 hours
 
+    @@log = Logging.logger[Mix]
+
     before_destroy :delete_s3_files
 
     self.primary_key = 'id'
@@ -156,25 +158,47 @@ module JamRuby
           # how long did the JamTrack play? not needed because we limit on the input tracks, which represents how long the recording is, too
           jam_track_play_time = recording_timeline_data["jam_track_play_time"]
 
-          if jam_track_recording_start_play_offset < 0
-            # we don't know how to handle this ! alert ops
-            AdminMailer.alerts({subject: "negative jam_track_recording_start_play_offset mix.id=#{self.id}"})
-            jam_track_recording_start_play_offset = 0
-          end
 
           offset = jam_track_play_start_time - recording_start_time
 
+          @@log.debug("base offset = #{offset}")
           if offset >= 0
-            # jamtrack started after recording, so buffer with silence as necessary
-            jam_track_offset = offset
-            jam_track_seek = jam_track_seek + jam_track_recording_start_play_offset
+            # jamtrack started after recording, so buffer with silence as necessary\
+
+            if jam_track_recording_start_play_offset < 0
+              @@log.info("prelude captured. offsetting further by #{-jam_track_recording_start_play_offset}")
+              # a negative jam_track_recording_start_play_offset indicates prelude, i.e., silence
+              # so add it to the offset to add more silence as necessary
+              offset = offset + -jam_track_recording_start_play_offset
+              jam_track_offset = offset
+            else
+              @@log.info("positive jamtrack offset; seeking into jamtrack by #{jam_track_recording_start_play_offset}")
+              # a positive jam_track_recording_start_play_offset means we need to cut into the jamtrack
+              jam_track_seek = jam_track_recording_start_play_offset
+              jam_track_offset = offset
+            end
           else
             # jamtrack started before recording, so we can seek into it to make up for the missing parts
-            jam_track_seek = -offset
+
+            if jam_track_recording_start_play_offset < 0
+              @@log.info("partial prelude captured. offset becomes jamtrack offset#{-jam_track_recording_start_play_offset}")
+              # a negative jam_track_recording_start_play_offset indicates prelude, i.e., silence
+              # so add it to the offset to add more silence as necessary
+              jam_track_offset = -jam_track_recording_start_play_offset
+            else
+              @@log.info("no prelude captured. offset becomes jamtrack offset=#{jam_track_recording_start_play_offset}")
+
+              jam_track_offset = 0
+              jam_track_seek = jam_track_recording_start_play_offset
+            end
+
 
             # also, ignore jam_track_recording_start_play_offset - it simply matches the offset in this case
-
           end
+
+          @@log.info("computed values. jam_track_offset=#{jam_track_offset} jam_track_seek=#{jam_track_seek}")
+
+
         end
       end
 
@@ -184,7 +208,7 @@ module JamRuby
 
       # this 'pick limiter' logic will ensure that we set a limiter on the 1st recorded_track we come across.
       pick_limiter = false
-      if recording.is_jamtrack_recording?
+      if was_jamtrack_played
         # we only use the limiter feature if this is a JamTrack recording
         # by setting this to true, the 1st recorded_track in the database will be the limiter
         pick_limiter = true