diff --git a/repl/src/tone.ts b/repl/src/tone.ts
index 37c96f76..7b23fe17 100644
--- a/repl/src/tone.ts
+++ b/repl/src/tone.ts
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ import {
   NoiseSynth,
   PluckSynth,
   Sampler,
-  getDestination
+  getDestination,
 } from 'tone';
 import { Piano } from '@tonejs/piano';
+import { getPlayableNoteValue } from '../../util.mjs';
 
 // what about
 // https://www.charlie-roberts.com/gibberish/playground/
@@ -30,13 +31,15 @@ Pattern.prototype.tone = function (instrument) {
   // instrument.toDestination();
   return this._withEvent((event) => {
     const onTrigger = (time, event) => {
+      const note = getPlayableNoteValue(event);
+      // TODO: test if all tonejs instruments can handle freqs
       if (instrument.constructor.name === 'PluckSynth') {
-        instrument.triggerAttack(event.value, time);
+        instrument.triggerAttack(note, time);
       } else if (instrument.constructor.name === 'NoiseSynth') {
         instrument.triggerAttackRelease(event.duration, time); // noise has no value
       } else if (instrument.constructor.name === 'Piano') {
-        instrument.keyDown({ note: event.value, time, velocity: 0.5 });
-        instrument.keyUp({ note: event.value, time: time + event.duration });
+        instrument.keyDown({ note, time, velocity: 0.5 });
+        instrument.keyUp({ note, time: time + event.duration });
       } else {
         instrument.triggerAttackRelease(event.value, event.duration, time);
       }
diff --git a/repl/src/useRepl.ts b/repl/src/useRepl.ts
index 22d98515..0772b21e 100644
--- a/repl/src/useRepl.ts
+++ b/repl/src/useRepl.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { useCallback, useState, useMemo } from 'react';
-import { isNote } from 'tone';
-import { fromMidi } from '../../util.mjs';
+import { getPlayableNoteValue } from '../../util.mjs';
 import { evaluate } from './evaluate';
 import type { Pattern } from './types';
 import useCycle from './useCycle';
@@ -64,15 +63,8 @@ function useRepl({ tune, defaultSynth, autolink = true, onEvent, onDraw }: any)
           onEvent?.(event);
           const { onTrigger } = event.context;
           if (!onTrigger) {
-            let note = event.value;
-            // if value is number => interpret as midi number...
-            // TODO: what if value is meant as frequency? => check context
-            if (typeof event.value === 'number') {
-              note = fromMidi(event.value);
-            } else if (!isNote(note)) {
-              throw new Error('not a note: ' + note);
-            }
             if (defaultSynth) {
+              const note = getPlayableNoteValue(event);
               defaultSynth.triggerAttackRelease(note, event.duration, time);
             } else {
               throw new Error('no defaultSynth passed to useRepl.');
diff --git a/util.mjs b/util.mjs
index 0b357e69..0ecd4306 100644
--- a/util.mjs
+++ b/util.mjs
@@ -28,3 +28,14 @@ export const fromMidi = (n) => {
 // modulo that works with negative numbers e.g. mod(-1, 3) = 2
 // const mod = (n: number, m: number): number => (n < 0 ? mod(n + m, m) : n % m);
 export const mod = (n, m) => (n < 0 ? mod(n + m, m) : n % m);
+
+export const getPlayableNoteValue = (event) => {
+  let { value: note, context } = event;
+  // if value is number => interpret as midi number as long as its not marked as frequency
+  if (typeof note === 'number' && context.type !== 'frequency') {
+    note = fromMidi(event.value);
+  } else if (typeof note === 'string' && !isNote(note)) {
+    throw new Error('not a note: ' + note);
+  }
+  return note;
+};