diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index f621420..96d23e1 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ android {
         // (android.media.midi) and AAudio low-latency audio we rely on.
         minSdk = 26
         targetSdk = 34
-        versionCode = 11
-        versionName = "0.4.4"
+        versionCode = 12
+        versionName = "0.4.5"
 
         // We provide our own instrumentation runner if/when tests are added.
         testInstrumentationRunner = "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/space/rcmd/android/sizzle/audio/SynthVoice.kt b/app/src/main/java/space/rcmd/android/sizzle/audio/SynthVoice.kt
index 53080d8..d2b79e5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/space/rcmd/android/sizzle/audio/SynthVoice.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/space/rcmd/android/sizzle/audio/SynthVoice.kt
@@ -268,7 +268,14 @@ class SynthVoice(private val sampleRate: Int) {
                 1 -> { level += dt / a; if (level >= 1f) { level = 1f; stage = 2 } }
                 2 -> { level -= dt / d.coerceAtLeast(0.001f) * (1f - s); if (level <= s) { level = s; stage = 3 } }
                 3 -> {}
-                4 -> { level -= dt / r.coerceAtLeast(0.001f) * s.coerceAtLeast(0.001f); if (level <= 0f) { level = 0f; stage = 0 } }
+                // Release ramps to zero at a rate set by the release TIME alone. The
+                // decrement was previously scaled by the sustain level (`* s`), so a
+                // percussive patch (sustain≈0) released ~1000× too slowly — the voice
+                // effectively never freed, piling up stuck notes and CPU until the
+                // audio callback missed its deadline (dropouts) and note-offs looked
+                // ignored (panic needed). A constant 1/r rate guarantees the voice
+                // reaches silence within r seconds from any level.
+                4 -> { level -= dt / r.coerceAtLeast(0.001f); if (level <= 0f) { level = 0f; stage = 0 } }
             }
             return level
         }