diff --git a/packages/core/util.mjs b/packages/core/util.mjs
index 2e7c6e026..ef3f1e961 100644
--- a/packages/core/util.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/util.mjs
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ import { logger } from './logger.mjs';
 
 // returns true if the given string is a note
 export const isNoteWithOctave = (name) => /^[a-gA-G][#bs]*[0-9]$/.test(name);
-export const isNote = (name) => /^[a-gA-G][#bsf]*[0-9]?$/.test(name);
+export const isNote = (name) => /^[a-gA-G][#bsf]*-?[0-9]?$/.test(name);
 export const tokenizeNote = (note) => {
   if (typeof note !== 'string') {
     return [];
   }
-  const [pc, acc = '', oct] = note.match(/^([a-gA-G])([#bsf]*)([0-9]*)$/)?.slice(1) || [];
+  const [pc, acc = '', oct] = note.match(/^([a-gA-G])([#bsf]*)(-?[0-9]*)$/)?.slice(1) || [];
   if (!pc) {
     return [];
   }
diff --git a/packages/superdough/util.mjs b/packages/superdough/util.mjs
index f4d59024e..764ebb43e 100644
--- a/packages/superdough/util.mjs
+++ b/packages/superdough/util.mjs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export const tokenizeNote = (note) => {
   if (typeof note !== 'string') {
     return [];
   }
-  const [pc, acc = '', oct] = note.match(/^([a-gA-G])([#bsf]*)([0-9]*)$/)?.slice(1) || [];
+  const [pc, acc = '', oct] = note.match(/^([a-gA-G])([#bsf]*)(-?[0-9]*)$/)?.slice(1) || [];
   if (!pc) {
     return [];
   }
diff --git a/packages/tonal/test/tonal.test.mjs b/packages/tonal/test/tonal.test.mjs
index a64b455b9..cb856fa99 100644
--- a/packages/tonal/test/tonal.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/tonal/test/tonal.test.mjs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ describe('tonal', () => {
     });
     it('snaps notes to the correct octave', () => {
       const inputNotes = ['Cb0', 'Eb4', 'G1', 'A#19', 'Bb8'];
-      const expectedNotes = ['B#0', 'D#4', 'G#1', 'A#19', 'A#8'];
+      const expectedNotes = ['B#-1', 'D#4', 'G#1', 'A#19', 'A#8'];
 
       expect(
         note(seq(inputNotes))
diff --git a/packages/tonal/tonal.mjs b/packages/tonal/tonal.mjs
index 28e2606e1..2ec698c38 100644
--- a/packages/tonal/tonal.mjs
+++ b/packages/tonal/tonal.mjs
@@ -128,10 +128,7 @@ export const { transpose, trans } = register(['transpose', 'trans'], function tr
     const interval = !isNaN(Number(intervalOrSemitones))
       ? Interval.fromSemitones(intervalOrSemitones)
       : String(intervalOrSemitones);
-    // TODO: move simplify to player to preserve enharmonics
-    // tone.js doesn't understand multiple sharps flats e.g. F##3 has to be turned into G3
-    // TODO: check if this is still relevant..
-    const targetNote = Note.simplify(Note.transpose(note, interval));
+    const targetNote = Note.transpose(note, interval);
     if (typeof hap.value === 'object') {
       return hap.withValue(() => ({ ...hap.value, note: targetNote }));
     }
@@ -208,7 +205,6 @@ let scaleToMidisAndNotes = {};
 // Finds the nearest scale note to `note`
 function _getNearestScaleNote(scaleName, note, preferHigher = true) {
   let noteMidi = typeof note === 'string' ? noteToMidi(note) : note;
-  noteMidi = Math.max(noteMidi, 24); // we will not play notes below C0
   if (scaleToMidisAndNotes[scaleName] === undefined) {
     const { intervals, tonic } = getScale(scaleName);
     const { pc } = Note.get(tonic);
@@ -221,20 +217,10 @@ function _getNearestScaleNote(scaleName, note, preferHigher = true) {
   const [scaleMidis, scaleNotes] = scaleToMidisAndNotes[scaleName];
   const rootMidi = scaleMidis[0];
   const octaveDiff = Math.floor((noteMidi - rootMidi) / 12);
-  let filteredNotes = []; // we must filter the notes to avoid negative octave values
-  let filteredMidis = [];
-  for (let i = 0; i < scaleMidis.length; i++) {
-    const newMidi = scaleMidis[i] + 12 * octaveDiff;
-    if (newMidi < 24) {
-      continue;
-    }
-    filteredMidis.push(newMidi);
-    const oldNote = scaleNotes[i];
-    const newNote = Note.transpose(oldNote, Interval.fromSemitones(12 * octaveDiff));
-    filteredNotes.push(newNote);
-  }
-  const noteIdx = nearestNumberIndex(noteMidi, filteredMidis, preferHigher);
-  return filteredNotes[noteIdx];
+  const alignedMidis = scaleMidis.map((m) => m + 12 * octaveDiff);
+  const noteIdx = nearestNumberIndex(noteMidi, alignedMidis, preferHigher);
+  const noteMatch = scaleNotes[noteIdx];
+  return Note.transpose(noteMatch, Interval.fromSemitones(12 * octaveDiff));
 }
 
 /**