diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/jam_track_importer.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/jam_track_importer.rb
index 5d51ec6fe..0ab427d09 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/jam_track_importer.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/jam_track_importer.rb
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ module JamRuby
 
         tracks = []
 
-        # tmp_dir = Dir.mktmpdir
+        #tmp_dir = Dir.mktmpdir
+        #tmp_dir = "/var/folders/05/1jpzfcln1hq9p666whnd7chr0000gn/T/d20150809-4962-15lgwru"
         Dir.mktmpdir do |tmp_dir|
           @@log.debug("downloading all audio files in #{tmp_dir}")
           audio_files.each do |s3_track|
@@ -85,8 +86,38 @@ module JamRuby
             JamTrackImporter.song_storage_manager.download(s3_track, track)
           end
 
+          # first have to check if all are the same sample rate.   If not, we have to make it so
+
+          first_sample_rate = nil
+          normalize_needed = false
+          tracks.each do |track|
+            sample_rate = `soxi -r "#{track}"`.strip
+
+            if first_sample_rate.nil?
+              first_sample_rate = sample_rate
+            else
+              if first_sample_rate != sample_rate
+                # we need to normalize all of them
+                normalized_needed = true
+                break
+              end
+            end
+          end
+
+          normalized_tracks = []
+          if normalize_needed
+            tracks.each do |track|
+              normalized_track = File.join(tmp_dir, File.basename('normalized-' + track))
+              output = `sox "#{track}" "#{normalized_track}" rate #{first_sample_rate}`
+              @@log.debug("resampling #{normalized_track}; output: #{output}")
+            end
+            tracks = normalized_tracks
+          end
+
+
+
           temp_file = File.join(tmp_dir, "temp.wav")
-          output_filename = "#{self.name} Master Mix.wav"
+          output_filename = JamTrackImporter.remove_s3_special_chars("#{self.name} Master Mix.wav")
           output_file = File.join(tmp_dir, output_filename)
           command = "sox -m "
           tracks.each do |track|
@@ -123,9 +154,7 @@ module JamRuby
 
           end
         end
-
       end
-
     end
 
     def dry_run(metadata, metalocation)
@@ -465,7 +494,7 @@ module JamRuby
         instrument = 'bass guitar'
         part = 'Fretless'
       elsif potential_instrument == 'lap steel' || potential_instrument == 'pedal steel'
-        instrument = 'Steel Guitar'
+        instrument = 'steel guitar'
       elsif potential_instrument == 'clock percussion'
         instrument = 'computer'
         part = 'Clock'
@@ -603,6 +632,13 @@ module JamRuby
               instrument = mapping[:instrument]
               part = mapping[:part]
             end
+
+            # tency mapping didn't work; let's retry with our own home-grown mapping
+            if instrument.nil?
+              result = determine_instrument(possible_instrument, possible_part)
+              instrument = result[:instrument]
+              part = result[:part]
+            end
           end
         end
 
@@ -1013,44 +1049,61 @@ module JamRuby
     def synchronize_track_preview(track, tmp_dir, ogg_44100)
 
       out_wav = File.join(tmp_dir, 'stripped.wav')
-      command_strip_lead_silence = "sox \"#{ogg_44100}\" \"#{out_wav}\" silence 1 0.3 1%"
 
-      @@log.debug("stripping silence: " + command_strip_lead_silence)
+      burp_gaps = ['0.3', '0.2', '0.1', '0.05']
 
-      output = `#{command_strip_lead_silence}`
+      total_time_command = "soxi -D \"#{ogg_44100}\""
+      total_time = `#{total_time_command}`.to_f
 
-      result_code = $?.to_i
+      result_code = -20
+      stripped_time = total_time  # default to the case where we just start the preview at the beginning
 
-      if result_code == 0
+      burp_gaps.each do |gap|
+        command_strip_lead_silence = "sox \"#{ogg_44100}\" \"#{out_wav}\" silence 1 #{gap} 1%"
 
-        total_time_command = "soxi -D \"#{ogg_44100}\""
-        stripped_time_command = "soxi -D \"#{out_wav}\""
+        @@log.debug("stripping silence: " + command_strip_lead_silence)
 
-        total_time = `#{total_time_command}`
-        stripped_time = `#{stripped_time_command}`
+        output = `#{command_strip_lead_silence}`
 
-        preview_start_time = total_time.to_f - stripped_time.to_f
+        result_code = $?.to_i
 
-        # this is in seconds; convert to integer milliseconds
-        preview_start_time = (preview_start_time * 1000).to_i
+        if result_code == 0
+          stripped_time_command = "soxi -D \"#{out_wav}\""
+          stripped_time_test = `#{stripped_time_command}`.to_f
 
-        preview_start_time = nil if preview_start_time < 0
-
-        track.preview_start_time = preview_start_time
-
-        if track.preview_start_time
-          @@log.debug("determined track start time to be #{track.preview_start_time}")
+          if stripped_time_test < 1 # meaning a very short duration
+            @@log.warn("could not determine the start of non-silencea. assuming beginning")
+            stripped_time = total_time # default to the case where we just start the preview at the beginning
+          else
+            stripped_time = stripped_time_test # accept the measured time of the stripped file and move on by using break
+            break
+          end
         else
-          @@log.debug("determined track start time to be #{track.preview_start_time}")
+          @@log.warn("unable to determine silence for jam_track #{track.original_filename}, #{output}")
+          stripped_time = total_time # default to the case where we just start the preview at the beginning
         end
 
-        track.process_preview(ogg_44100, tmp_dir) if track.preview_start_time
+      end
 
-        if track.preview_generate_error
-          @@log.warn(track.preview_generate_error)
-        end
+      preview_start_time = total_time - stripped_time
+
+      # this is in seconds; convert to integer milliseconds
+      preview_start_time = (preview_start_time * 1000).to_i
+
+      preview_start_time = nil if preview_start_time < 0
+
+      track.preview_start_time = preview_start_time
+
+      if track.preview_start_time
+        @@log.debug("determined track start time to be #{track.preview_start_time}")
       else
-        @@log.warn("unable to determine silence for jam_track #{track.original_filename}, #{output}")
+        @@log.debug("determined track start time to be #{track.preview_start_time}")
+      end
+
+      track.process_preview(ogg_44100, tmp_dir) if track.preview_start_time
+
+      if track.preview_generate_error
+        @@log.warn(track.preview_generate_error)
       end
 
     end
@@ -1148,6 +1201,9 @@ module JamRuby
         finish("success", nil)
       end
 
+      # do a last check on any problems with the jamtrack
+      jam_track.sync_onboarding_exceptions
+
     end
 
     def synchronize_recurly(jam_track)
@@ -1353,6 +1409,16 @@ module JamRuby
         end
       end
 
+      def create_master(path)
+        metalocation = "#{path}/meta.yml"
+
+        metadata = load_metalocation(metalocation)
+
+        jam_track_importer = JamTrackImporter.new(@storage_format)
+
+        jam_track_importer.create_master(metadata, metalocation)
+      end
+
       def dry_run_original
         s3_manager.list_directories('audio').each do |original_artist|
           @@log.debug("searching through artist directory '#{original_artist}'")
@@ -1560,6 +1626,9 @@ module JamRuby
         end
       end
 
+      def remove_s3_special_chars(filename)
+        filename.tr('/&@:,$=+?;\^`><{}[]#%~|', '')
+      end
       def onboarding_exceptions
         JamTrack.all.each do |jam_track|
           jam_track.onboarding_exceptions
@@ -1573,10 +1642,13 @@ module JamRuby
 
           next if metadata.nil? && is_tency_storage?
 
-          count+=1
           importer = synchronize_from_meta(metalocation, options)
           importers << importer
 
+          if importer.reason != 'jam_track_exists'
+            count+=1
+          end
+
           if count > 100
             break
           end
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_track.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_track.rb
index db2a581fe..3338124be 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_track.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/jam_track.rb
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ module JamRuby
     # 1) the reproduction_royalty_amount has to stay in sync based on duration
     # 2) the onboarding_exceptions JSON column
     after_save :sync_reproduction_royalty
-    after_save :onboarding_exceptions
+    after_save :sync_onboarding_exceptions
 
 
     def sync_reproduction_royalty
@@ -95,14 +95,14 @@ module JamRuby
         minutes = (self.duration - 1) / 60
         extra_minutes = minutes - 4
         extra_minutes = 0 if extra_minutes < 0
-        royalty = 0.091 + (0.0175 * extra_minutes)
+        royalty = (0.091 + (0.0175 * extra_minutes)).round(5)
       end
       self.update_column(:reproduction_royalty_amount, royalty)
 
       true
     end
 
-    def onboarding_exceptions
+    def sync_onboarding_exceptions
 
       exceptions = {}
       if self.duration.nil?
diff --git a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_spec.rb b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_spec.rb
index 9cc16c444..c1aecf71d 100644
--- a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_spec.rb
+++ b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_spec.rb
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ describe JamTrack do
       end
 
       it "100.1234" do
-        jam_track = FactoryGirl.build(:jam_track, reproduction_royalty_amount: 100.1234)
+        jam_track = FactoryGirl.build(:jam_track, reproduction_royalty_amount: 100.12345)
         jam_track.valid?.should be_false
         jam_track.errors[:reproduction_royalty_amount].should == ['is invalid']
       end
diff --git a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_track_spec.rb b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_track_spec.rb
index 6fb4343f6..67a50ec22 100644
--- a/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_track_spec.rb
+++ b/ruby/spec/jam_ruby/models/jam_track_track_spec.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ describe JamTrackTrack do
   it "created" do
     jam_track_track = FactoryGirl.create(:jam_track_track)
     jam_track_track.jam_track.should_not be_nil
+    jam_track_track.jam_track.reload
     jam_track_track.jam_track.jam_track_tracks.should == [jam_track_track]
   end
 
diff --git a/web/lib/tasks/jam_tracks.rake b/web/lib/tasks/jam_tracks.rake
index 315d02b25..1774cfc64 100644
--- a/web/lib/tasks/jam_tracks.rake
+++ b/web/lib/tasks/jam_tracks.rake
@@ -14,6 +14,21 @@ namespace :jam_tracks do
     JamTrackImporter.create_masters
   end
 
+
+  task tency_create_master: :environment do |task, args|
+    JamTrackImporter.storage_format = 'Tency'
+
+    path = ENV['TRACK_PATH']
+
+    if !path
+      puts "TRACK_PATH must be set to something like audio/AC DC/Back in Black  or mapped/50 Cent - In Da Club - 12401"
+      exit(1)
+    end
+
+    JamTrackImporter.create_master(path)
+  end
+
+
   task tency_delta: :environment do |task, args|
     JamTrackImporter.storage_format = 'Tency'
     JamTrackImporter.tency_delta