diff --git a/Scripts/Data/Chart/Chart.cs b/Scripts/Data/Chart/Chart.cs
index 8c4a5eb..93c9436 100644
--- a/Scripts/Data/Chart/Chart.cs
+++ b/Scripts/Data/Chart/Chart.cs
@@ -21,15 +21,31 @@ namespace WacK.Data.Chart
         public SortedList<float, NoteEvent<float>> tempoChgs { get; private set; }
         public SortedList<float, NoteEvent<int>> events { get; private set; }
 
-        public Chart()
+        public Chart(string chartPath)
         {
             doneLoading = false;
+			var file = FileAccess.Open(chartPath, FileAccess.ModeFlags.Read);
+            if (file == null)
+            {
+                GD.PrintErr("Couldn't load chart in play!");
+                return;
+            }
+			var str = file.GetAsText();
+            file.Close();
+
+            var mer = new Mer.Mer(str);
+            Load(mer);
+            
+            doneLoading = true;
         }
 
         // place notes and events relative to the previous
-        public void Load(Mer.Mer chart)
+        private void Load(Mer.Mer chart)
         {
-            playNotes = new SortedList<float, List<NotePlay>>();
+            playNotes = new();
+            timeSigChgs = new();
+            tempoChgs = new();
+            events = new();
 
             List<float> tempo = new List<float>();
             List<int> tempoChangeMeasures = new List<int>();
@@ -56,8 +72,8 @@ namespace WacK.Data.Chart
 
             Note prevNote = null;
             Note curNote = null;
-            var prevHoldPoint = new System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<int, NotePlay>(); // <note idx, previous point of hold>
-            var curHoldNote = new System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<int, NoteHold>(); // <next hold idx, HoldStart>
+            var prevHoldPoint = new Dictionary<int, NotePlay>(); // <note idx, previous point of hold>
+            var curHoldNote = new Dictionary<int, NoteHold>(); // <next hold idx, HoldStart>
 
             // Notes and Events //
             foreach (var measure in chart.notes) // `measure` = measure: List
@@ -112,7 +128,8 @@ namespace WacK.Data.Chart
 							var de = int.Parse(words[1]);
 							if (beatsPerMeasure.Count == 1)
                             {
-                                beatsPerMeasure.Add(int.Parse(chartNote.Item2.value));
+                                // TODO: handle denominator (note that gets the beat)
+                                beatsPerMeasure.Add(nu);
                                 bpmChangeMeasures.Add(measure.Key);
                             }
                             else
@@ -327,7 +344,7 @@ namespace WacK.Data.Chart
             //     }
             // }
 
-            doneLoading = true;
+            GD.Print("Finished forming Chart!");
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Scripts/Data/Chart/NoteHold.cs b/Scripts/Data/Chart/NoteHold.cs
index 389b006..8335c3c 100755
--- a/Scripts/Data/Chart/NoteHold.cs
+++ b/Scripts/Data/Chart/NoteHold.cs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ namespace WacK.Data.Chart
 			: base(time, measureBeat, position, size,holdIndex, holdNext, type: NotePlayType.HoldStart, bonus: false) 
 		{
 			// points = (SortedList<float, Note>)holdPoints.Skip(1);
+			points = new();
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/Scripts/Data/Mer/Mer.cs b/Scripts/Data/Mer/Mer.cs
index 7cb711a..99169c5 100644
--- a/Scripts/Data/Mer/Mer.cs
+++ b/Scripts/Data/Mer/Mer.cs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using Godot;
 
 namespace WacK.Data.Mer
 {
@@ -133,7 +134,8 @@ namespace WacK.Data.Mer
                         notes[currentMeasure].Add((currentBeat, new MerNote(value: tokens[3], type: MerType.Tempo)));
                         break;
                     case "3": // beats per measure
-                        notes[currentMeasure].Add((currentBeat, new MerNote(value: $"{tokens[3]} {tokens[4]}", type: MerType.TimeSignature)));
+                        string de = tokens.Count >= 5 ? tokens[4] : "4"; // TODO: use previously-estbalished denominator?
+                        notes[currentMeasure].Add((currentBeat, new MerNote(value: $"{tokens[3]} {de}", type: MerType.TimeSignature)));
                         break;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/Scripts/Scenes/Play.cs b/Scripts/Scenes/Play.cs
index 3d8886f..b563838 100644
--- a/Scripts/Scenes/Play.cs
+++ b/Scripts/Scenes/Play.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 using Godot;
+using WacK.Data.Chart;
+using WacK.Data.Mer;
 
 namespace WacK.Scenes
 {
@@ -22,11 +24,12 @@ namespace WacK.Scenes
 		// initialized by another scene, BEFORE loading this one!
 		public static PlayParameters playParams;
 
-		private void Start()
-		{
-			
-		}
+		private Chart chart;
 
+		public override void _Ready()
+		{ 
+			chart = new(playParams.chartPath);
+		} 
 		private void OnDestroy()
 		{
 			playParams = null;