         makeAccidentalButton(minimalBlue, buttonSize: accidentalButtonSize)
     }
 
-
     func makeNoteButton(buttonColor: SKColor, buttonSize: CGSize) -> SKSpriteNode {
-        let node = SKSpriteNode(color: buttonColor, size: buttonSize)
-        node.alpha = 0.0
-            // make the color transparent
-
-        node.anchorPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 0)
-        // positions it with respect to bottom left
-
-        node.position = CGPoint(x: screenWidth - Int(buttonSize.width), y: y)
-
-        node.name = ""
-        var imageUrl = ""
-
+        var imageName = ""
         if y == 0 {
             // set button to 1 value
-            node.name = "buttonOneImage"
-            imageUrl = "buttonOneImage"
+            imageName = "buttonOneImage"
         } else if y == screenHeight / 3 {
-            // set button to 2 value
-            node.name = "buttonTwoImage"
-            imageUrl = "buttonTwoImage"
+            imageName = "buttonTwoImage"
         } else {
-            // set button to 3 value
-            node.name = "buttonThreeImage"
-            imageUrl = "buttonThreeImage"
+            imageName = "buttonThreeImage"
         }
 
         y += screenHeight / 3
 
-        let imageNode = SKSpriteNode(texture: SKTexture(imageNamed: imageUrl), size: buttonSize)
+        let imageNode = SKSpriteNode(texture: SKTexture(imageNamed: imageName), size: buttonSize)
+        imageNode.name = imageName
         imageNode.anchorPoint = CGPoint(x: 0, y: 1)
         imageNode.position = CGPoint(x: screenWidth - Int(buttonSize.width) + 6, y: y - 6)
 
         self.addChild(imageNode)
-        self.addChild(node)
-        return node
+        return imageNode
     }
 
     func makeAccidentalButton(buttonColor: SKColor, buttonSize: CGSize) {


            for node in nodes {
                if let name = node.name {
                    if  name.containsString("buttonOneImage") ||
                        name.containsString("buttonTwoImage") ||
                        name.containsString("buttonThreeImage") {

                            handleNoteStart(name)

                            let spriteNode = node as! SKSpriteNode
                            spriteNode.texture = SKTexture(imageNamed: "buttonThreeImage_active")

                    }


                    /*if name.containsString("noteButton") {
                        // if it's a noteButton....

                        // vibrate
                        //   ipod touch doesn't support, so leaving this out for now
                        //
                        // AudioServicesPlayAlertSound(SystemSoundID(kSystemSoundID_Vibrate))

                        handleNoteStart(name)
                        let spriteNode = node as! SKSpriteNode
                        let newImageName = name + "_active"
                        spriteNode.texture = SKTexture(imageNamed: newImageName)
                    }*/ if (name.containsString("topButton")) {
                        let spriteNode = node as! SKSpriteNode
                        let changeColorAction = SKAction.colorizeWithColor(minimalLightPurple, colorBlendFactor: 1.0, duration: 0)

                        spriteNode.runAction(changeColorAction) {
                            spriteNode.color = self.minimalLightPurple
                        }

                        if name == "topButtonSharp" {
                            sharpButtonActive = 1
                        } else if name == "topButtonFlat" {
                            flatButtonActive = 1
                        }
                    } else if name.containsString("flatImage") {
                        let spriteNode = node as! SKSpriteNode
                        spriteNode.texture = SKTexture(imageNamed: "flatImage_active")
                    } else if name.containsString("sharpImage") {
                        let spriteNode = node as! SKSpriteNode
                        spriteNode.texture = SKTexture(imageNamed: "sharpImage_active")
                    }

    }

    override func touchesBegan(touches: Set<UITouch>, withEvent event: UIEvent?) {
        for touch in touches {
            let location = touch.locationInNode(self)

