diff --git a/components/topbar.js b/components/topbar.js
index 94f9546..2723f34 100644
--- a/components/topbar.js
+++ b/components/topbar.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { BiCoffeeTogo, BiShare, BiMoon, BiSun, BiHelpCircle } from 'react-icons/bi'
 import { SiAboutdotme, SiMidi } from 'react-icons/si'
 
-import { sectionsToQuery } from '../lib/serialization'
+import { stateToQuery } from '../lib/serialization'
 import { copyTextToClipboard } from '../lib/clipboard'
 import { useDarkMode } from 'next-dark-mode'
 import { useTheme } from '../hooks/useTheme'
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export default function Social(){
                         let state = useStore.getState();
                         let val = 
                             window.location.origin + window.location.pathname
-                            + sectionsToQuery(state.sections, state.bpm);
+                            + stateToQuery(state.sections, state.bpm, state.instrumentIDs);
                         copyTextToClipboard(val);
                         setTimeout(()=>alert('copied the url to clipboard! '), 100);
                     })
diff --git a/lib/serialization.js b/lib/serialization.js
index a9bdc61..fcff669 100644
--- a/lib/serialization.js
+++ b/lib/serialization.js
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 const d1 = '_';
 const d2 = 'a';
 
-export function sectionsToQuery(sections, bpm){
-    return '?' + Object.entries({
+export function stateToQuery(sections, bpm, instrumentIDs){
+    const number_of_tracks = sections.reduce((s, v) => Math.max(s, v.ratios.length), -1);
+    const params = {
         lengths: sections.map(x=>x.length).join(d1),
         repeats: sections.map(x=>x.repeat).join(d1),
         swings: sections.map(x=>x.swing).join(d1),
@@ -11,13 +12,21 @@ export function sectionsToQuery(sections, bpm){
         subdivides: sections.map(x=>x.subdivide.join(d2)).join(d1),
         offsets: sections.map(x=>x.offsets.join(d2)).join(d1),
         bpm: bpm,
-    })
+    };
+    if (instrumentIDs && number_of_tracks > 0) {
+        params.instruments = instrumentIDs.slice(0, number_of_tracks).join(d1);
+    }
+    return '?' + Object.entries(params)
     .map(([k, v])=>`&${k}=${v}`)
     .join('')
     .slice(1);
 }
 
-export function queryToSections(query){
+function parseInstruments(str) {
+    return str.split(d1).map(Number);
+}
+
+export function queryToState(query){
     const lens = query.lengths.split(d1).map(Number);
     const reps = query.repeats.split(d1).map(Number);
     const swins = query.swings.split(d1).map(Number);
@@ -26,7 +35,7 @@ export function queryToSections(query){
     const subs = query.subdivides.split(d1).map(x=>x.split(d2).map(Number));
     const offs = query.offsets.split(d1).map(x=>x.split(d2).map(Number));
 
-    return lens.map((len, i)=>({
+    const sections = lens.map((len, i)=>({
         length: len,
         repeat: reps[i],
         swing: swins[i],
@@ -34,4 +43,13 @@ export function queryToSections(query){
         subdivide: subs[i],
         offsets: offs[i],
     }));
+
+    return {
+        sections,
+        instrumentIDs: query.instruments ? parseInstruments(query.instruments) : null,
+    };
+}
+
+export function queryToSections(query){
+    return queryToState(query).sections;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pages/index.js b/pages/index.js
index 0e1a120..707aa5d 100644
--- a/pages/index.js
+++ b/pages/index.js
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ import { useTheme } from "../hooks/useTheme";
 import useStore from "../hooks/useStore";
 import shallow from "zustand/shallow";
 
-import { queryToSections } from "../lib/serialization";
+import { queryToState } from "../lib/serialization";
 import { sectionsToImgURL } from "../lib/sectionsToImgURL";
 import {
   init as initSynths,
   getInstruments,
+  getNewInstrument,
 } from "../lib/instruments";
 
 const Tone = require("tone");
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ import HitTracker from "../components/hittracker";
 export default function Home() {
   const styles = useTheme(require("../styles/Home.module.sass"));
 
-  const [paused, bpm, setBpm, sections, setSections, instrumentIDs, pause, play] = useStore(
+  const [paused, bpm, setBpm, sections, setSections, setInstrumentIDs, instrumentIDs, pause, play] = useStore(
     useCallback(
       (state) => [
         state.paused,
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ export default function Home() {
         state.setBpm,
         state.sections,
         state.setSections,
+        state.setInstrumentIDs,
         state.instrumentIDs,
         state.pause,
         state.play,
@@ -119,12 +121,19 @@ export default function Home() {
       if(Object.keys(router.query).length <= 0) return;
       console.log('found state in url, proceeding to load...');
 
-      setSections(queryToSections(router.query));
+      const { sections: loadedSections, instrumentIDs: loadedInstruments } = queryToState(router.query);
+      setSections(loadedSections);
       setBpm(Number(router.query.bpm));
 
+      if (loadedInstruments) {
+        const base = Array.from({ length: 10 }, (v, i) => getNewInstrument(i));
+        loadedInstruments.forEach((id, i) => { base[i] = id; });
+        setInstrumentIDs(base);
+      }
+
       // remove query params
       window.history.replaceState({}, document.title, window.location.pathname);
-  }, [router.query]);
+  }, [router.query, setSections, setBpm, setInstrumentIDs]);
 
   return (
     <div className={styles.container}>