diff --git a/src/music_visualizer.c b/src/music_visualizer.c
index 50fd705..92bcb7e 100644
--- a/src/music_visualizer.c
+++ b/src/music_visualizer.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 }
 
 void
-print_visual(unsigned int* fftBuf, unsigned int* fftAvg)
+print_visual(unsigned int* fftAvg)
 {
     int i;
 
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@
             free_status_st(status);
             status = get_current_status(session);
             if (status) {
-                if ((sampleRate = status->sampleRate) >= 192000) {
+                if (((sampleRate = status->sampleRate) >= 192000) && ADAPTIVE_SAMPLING) {
                     nsamples = N_SAMPLES/4;
-                } else if (sampleRate >= 96000 && sampleRate < 192000) {
+                } else if (ADAPTIVE_SAMPLING && (sampleRate >= 96000 && sampleRate < 192000)) {
                     nsamples = N_SAMPLES/2;
                 } else if (sampleRate < 96000) {
                     nsamples = N_SAMPLES;
@@ -150,13 +150,16 @@
             // clear screen for printing (only if new data on fifo)
 			if(cnt == NICENESS) {
             	erase();
-           		print_visual(fftBuf, fftAvg);
+           		print_visual(fftAvg);
 			}
         }
 #ifdef STATUS_CHECK
         // print mpd status even if no new data is avaiable
         print_mpd_status(status, maxC, maxR/2+maxR/6);
-        print_rate_info(sampleRate, nsamples, maxC, status->song->duration_sec);
+        if (status && status->song && status->song->duration_sec) {
+            print_rate_info(sampleRate, nsamples, maxC, status->song->duration_sec, \
+                    (int)fftAvg[0]);
+        }
 #endif
         // refresh screen
         refresh();
diff --git a/src/settings.h b/src/settings.h
index 75543f0..c2da4f7 100644
--- a/src/settings.h
+++ b/src/settings.h
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@
 // (a power of 2)
 #define N_SAMPLES 1024
 
+// if adaptive sampling should be used
+// (adjust N_SAMPLES to sample rate of current song)
+// uses N_SAMPLES as maximum for 44100 Hz
+// set to 0 to disable
+#define ADAPTIVE_SAMPLING 1
+
 // path to the MPD named pipe
 // (defined: 'mpd.conf')
 #define MPD_FIFO "/tmp/mpd.fifo"
@@ -40,3 +46,4 @@
 // adjust lateral shift on screen
 // might prevent full borders from being printed, adjust
 #define X_CORRECTION 1
+
diff --git a/src/utils_curses.c b/src/utils_curses.c
index 98fa38e..e8d4469 100644
--- a/src/utils_curses.c
+++ b/src/utils_curses.c
@@ -60,23 +60,31 @@
 }
 
 void
-print_rate_info(const int rate, const int nsamples, const int maxC, int seed)
+print_rate_info(const int rate, const int nsamples, const int maxC, int seed, int amplitude)
 {
     int center = (int) maxC/2-18; // adjust to screen center
-
+    int i;
     srand(seed);
     color_set(rand() % 7, NULL);
 
     mvprintw(1, center, " || rate: %d - samples: %d || ", rate, nsamples);
     if (nsamples != 512 && rate > 0) {
         mvprintw(0, center, " --------------------------------- ", rate, nsamples);
-        mvprintw(2, center, " --------------------------------- ", rate, nsamples);
+        mvprintw(2, center, " -------------[mvc]--------------- ", rate, nsamples);
     } else if (rate == 0) {
         mvprintw(0, center, " ----------------------------- ", rate, nsamples);
-        mvprintw(2, center, " ----------------------------- ", rate, nsamples);
+        mvprintw(2, center, " -----------[mvc]------------- ", rate, nsamples);
     } else {
         mvprintw(0, center, " -------------------------------- ", rate, nsamples);
-        mvprintw(2, center, " -------------------------------- ", rate, nsamples);
+        mvprintw(2, center, " ------------[mvc]--------------- ", rate, nsamples);
+    }
+    for(i=0; i<amplitude-60; i++) {
+        mvaddch(0, center-i, '-');
+        mvaddch(2, center-i, '-');
+        mvaddch(1, center-i, '|');
+        mvaddch(1, center+34+i, '|');
+        mvaddch(0, center+34+i, '-');
+        mvaddch(2, center+34+i, '-');
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/utils_curses.h b/src/utils_curses.h
index 6629a17..ad81fec 100644
--- a/src/utils_curses.h
+++ b/src/utils_curses.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 WINDOW* curses_init();
 void print_col(int col, int length, const int maxR, const int maxC);
 void print_row(int row, int length, const int maxR, const int maxC);
-void print_rate_info(const int rate, const int nsamples, const int maxC, int seed);
+void print_rate_info(const int rate, const int nsamples, const int maxC, int seed, int amplitude);
 
 #ifdef STATUS_CHECK
 void print_mpd_status(STATUS* status, const int maxC, const int row);