diff --git a/jams/sonify.py b/jams/sonify.py
index 11df81b6..7e1b3e42 100644
--- a/jams/sonify.py
+++ b/jams/sonify.py
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@
 import six
 import numpy as np
 import mir_eval.sonify
+from mir_eval.util import filter_kwargs
 from .eval import validate_annotation
 from .exceptions import NamespaceError
 
 __all__ = ['sonify']
 
 
+
 def clicks(annotation, sr=22050, length=None, **kwargs):
     '''Sonify clicks timings
 
@@ -26,7 +28,8 @@ def clicks(annotation, sr=22050, length=None, **kwargs):
 
     interval, _ = annotation.data.to_interval_values()
 
-    return mir_eval.sonify.clicks(interval[:, 0], fs=sr, length=length, **kwargs)
+    return filter_kwargs(mir_eval.sonify.clicks, interval[:, 0],
+                         fs=sr, length=length, **kwargs)
 
 
 def chord(annotation, sr=22050, length=None, **kwargs):
@@ -34,7 +37,10 @@ def chord(annotation, sr=22050, length=None, **kwargs):
 
     intervals, chords = annotation.data.to_interval_values()
 
-    return mir_eval.sonify.chords(chords, intervals, fs=sr, length=length, **kwargs)
+    return filter_kwargs(mir_eval.sonify.chords,
+                         chords, intervals,
+                         fs=sr, length=length,
+                         **kwargs)
 
 
 def pitch_midi(annotation, sr=22050, length=None, **kwargs):
@@ -49,8 +55,21 @@ def pitch_midi(annotation, sr=22050, length=None, **kwargs):
     for t, n in enumerate(notes):
         gram[n, t] = 1.0
 
-    return mir_eval.sonify.time_frequency(gram, freqs, intervals[:, 0],
-                                          fs=sr, length=length, **kwargs)
+    # Compress for efficiency
+    idx = gram.max(axis=1) > 0
+
+    gram = gram[idx]
+    freqs = freqs[idx]
+
+    return filter_kwargs(mir_eval.sonify.time_frequency,
+                         gram, freqs, intervals,
+                         fs=sr, length=length,
+                         **kwargs)
+
+
+SONIFY_MAPPING = {'beat.*|segment.*|onset.*': clicks,
+                  'chord|chord_harte': chord,
+                  'pitch_midi': pitch_midi}
 
 
 def sonify(annotation, sr=22050, duration=None, **kwargs):
@@ -81,9 +100,6 @@ def sonify(annotation, sr=22050, duration=None, **kwargs):
         If the annotation has an un-sonifiable namespace
     '''
 
-    SONIFY_MAPPING = {'beat.*|segment.*|onset.*': clicks,
-                      'chord|chord_harte': chord,
-                      'pitch_midi': pitch_midi}
     length = None
     if duration is not None:
         length = int(duration * sr)