diff --git a/examples/MPETest/Source/MPESetupComponent.h b/examples/MPETest/Source/MPESetupComponent.h
index 31d8548f44..04e2d02027 100644
--- a/examples/MPETest/Source/MPESetupComponent.h
+++ b/examples/MPETest/Source/MPESetupComponent.h
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ public:
         initialiseComboBoxWithConsecutiveIntegers (noteChannels, noteChannelsLabel, 1, 15, defaultNoteChannels);
         initialiseComboBoxWithConsecutiveIntegers (masterPitchbendRange, masterPitchbendRangeLabel, 0, 96, defaultMasterPitchbendRange);
         initialiseComboBoxWithConsecutiveIntegers (notePitchbendRange, notePitchbendRangeLabel, 0, 96, defaultNotePitchbendRange);
-
         notePitchbendRange.addListener (this);
 
         initialiseButton (addZoneButton);
@@ -73,7 +72,8 @@ public:
         initialiseButton (omniModeEnabledToggle);
         initialiseButton (voiceStealingEnabledToggle);
 
-        initialiseComboBoxWithConsecutiveIntegers (numberOfVoices, numberOfVoicesLabel, 0, 21, 15);
+        initialiseComboBoxWithConsecutiveIntegers (numberOfVoices, numberOfVoicesLabel, 1, 20, 15);
+        numberOfVoices.addListener (this);
     }
 
     //==========================================================================
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.cpp
index a8680bdb6c..58c85c3b6a 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.cpp
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ MPESynthesiserVoice* MPESynthesiser::findVoiceToSteal (MPENote noteToStealVoiceF
     // - Re-use the oldest notes first
     // - Protect the lowest & topmost notes, even if sustained, but not if they've been released.
 
+
+    // apparently you are trying to render audio without having any voices...
+    jassert (voices.size() > 0);
+
     // These are the voices we want to protect (ie: only steal if unavoidable)
     MPESynthesiserVoice* low = nullptr; // Lowest sounding note, might be sustained, but NOT in release phase
     MPESynthesiserVoice* top = nullptr; // Highest sounding note, might be sustained, but NOT in release phase
@@ -279,6 +283,7 @@ MPESynthesiserVoice* MPESynthesiser::findVoiceToSteal (MPENote noteToStealVoiceF
 void MPESynthesiser::addVoice (MPESynthesiserVoice* const newVoice)
 {
     const ScopedLock sl (voicesLock);
+    newVoice->setCurrentSampleRate (getSampleRate());
     voices.add (newVoice);
 }
 
@@ -309,7 +314,7 @@ void MPESynthesiser::reduceNumVoices (const int newNumVoices)
 
     while (voices.size() > newNumVoices)
     {
-        if (MPESynthesiserVoice* voice = findVoiceToSteal())
+        if (MPESynthesiserVoice* voice = findFreeVoice (MPENote(), true))
             voices.removeObject (voice);
         else
             voices.remove (0); // if there's no voice to steal, kill the oldest voice
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.h b/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.h
index 6069e28017..cbca499e8b 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.h
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_basics/mpe/juce_MPESynthesiser.h
@@ -259,10 +259,12 @@ protected:
     /** Searches through the voices to find one that's not currently playing, and
         which can play the given MPE note.
 
-        Returns nullptr if all voices are busy and stealing isn't enabled.
+        If all voices are active and stealIfNoneAvailable is false, this returns
+        a nullptr. If all voices are active and stealIfNoneAvailable is true,
+        this will call findVoiceToSteal() to find a voice.
 
-        To implement a custom note-stealing algorithm, you can either override this
-        method, or (preferably) override findVoiceToSteal().
+        If you need to find a free voice for something else than playing a note
+        (e.g. for deleting it), you can pass an invalid (default-constructed) MPENote.
     */
     virtual MPESynthesiserVoice* findFreeVoice (MPENote noteToFindVoiceFor,
                                                 bool stealIfNoneAvailable) const;
@@ -276,7 +278,8 @@ protected:
 
         If you pass a valid MPENote for the optional argument, then the note number
         of that note will be taken into account for finding the ideal voice to steal.
-        Otherwise, this part of the algorithm will be ignored.
+        If you pass an invalid (default-constructed) MPENote instead, this part of
+        the algorithm will be ignored.
     */
     virtual MPESynthesiserVoice* findVoiceToSteal (MPENote noteToStealVoiceFor = MPENote()) const;
 
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_basics/synthesisers/juce_Synthesiser.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_basics/synthesisers/juce_Synthesiser.cpp
index 2aa10fb7ce..3433428bc9 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_basics/synthesisers/juce_Synthesiser.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_basics/synthesisers/juce_Synthesiser.cpp
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ void Synthesiser::clearVoices()
 SynthesiserVoice* Synthesiser::addVoice (SynthesiserVoice* const newVoice)
 {
     const ScopedLock sl (lock);
+    newVoice->setCurrentPlaybackSampleRate (sampleRate);
     return voices.add (newVoice);
 }
 
@@ -557,6 +558,9 @@ SynthesiserVoice* Synthesiser::findVoiceToSteal (SynthesiserSound* soundToPlay,
     // - Re-use the oldest notes first
     // - Protect the lowest & topmost notes, even if sustained, but not if they've been released.
 
+    // apparently you are trying to render audio without having any voices...
+    jassert (voices.size() > 0);
+
     // These are the voices we want to protect (ie: only steal if unavoidable)
     SynthesiserVoice* low = nullptr; // Lowest sounding note, might be sustained, but NOT in release phase
     SynthesiserVoice* top = nullptr; // Highest sounding note, might be sustained, but NOT in release phase