diff --git a/Timeline.C b/Timeline.C
index b9fefde..746edeb 100644
--- a/Timeline.C
+++ b/Timeline.C
@@ -328,6 +328,10 @@ Timeline::draw_clip ( void * v, int X, int Y, int W, int H )
 }
 
 
+static unsigned char *rect_image;
+
+
+
 void
 Timeline::draw ( void )
 {
@@ -338,6 +342,19 @@ Timeline::draw ( void )
     W = tracks->w() - Fl::box_dw( tracks->child( 0 )->box() ) - 1;
     H = tracks->h();
 
+
+
+/*     if ( damage() & FL_DAMAGE_USER1 ) */
+/*     { */
+
+/*         /\* save the rectangle so we can draw it (darkened) in the overlay *\/ */
+/*         Rectangle &r = _selection; */
+/*         make_current(); */
+/*         rect_image = fl_read_image( NULL, r.x, r.y, r.w, r.h, 0 ); */
+
+/*         return; */
+/*     } */
+
     if ( (damage() & FL_DAMAGE_ALL)
          ||
          damage() & FL_DAMAGE_EXPOSE )
@@ -358,7 +375,7 @@ Timeline::draw ( void )
         redraw_overlay();
 
 
-    Rectangle &r = _selection;
+/*     Rectangle &r = _selection; */
 
 /*     unsigned char *data = fl_read_image( NULL, r.x, r.y, r.w, r.h, 0 ); */
 
@@ -371,18 +388,18 @@ Timeline::draw ( void )
 /*     delete[] data; */
 
 
-    if ( r.w && r.h )
-    {
-    const unsigned char data[] = { 0, 127, 0, 96,
-                                   0, 96, 0, 127 };
-    Fl_RGB_Image bi( data, 2, 2, 2 );
+/*     if ( r.w && r.h ) */
+/*     { */
+/*     const unsigned char data[] = { 0, 127, 0, 96, */
+/*                                    0, 96, 0, 127 }; */
+/*     Fl_RGB_Image bi( data, 2, 2, 2 ); */
 
-    Fl_Image *bi2 = bi.copy( r.w, r.h );
+/*     Fl_Image *bi2 = bi.copy( r.w, r.h ); */
 
-    bi2->draw( r.x, r.y );
+/*     bi2->draw( r.x, r.y ); */
 
-    delete bi2;
-    }
+/*     delete bi2; */
+/*     } */
 
         return;
     }
@@ -468,13 +485,16 @@ Timeline::draw_overlay ( void )
 
 /*     unsigned char *data = fl_read_image( NULL, r.x, r.y, r.w, r.h, 0 ); */
 
-/*     Fl_RGB_Image bi( data, r.w, r.h, 3 ); */
+
+
+/*     Fl_RGB_Image bi( rect_image, r.w, r.h, 3 ); */
 
 /*     bi.color_average( FL_BLACK, 0.50f ); */
 
 /*     bi.draw( r.x, r.y ); */
 
-/*     delete[] data; */
+/*     delete[] rect_image; */
+/*     rect_image = NULL; */
 
     fl_pop_clip();
 
@@ -554,8 +574,6 @@ Timeline::handle ( int m )
 
                     _selection.w = abs( ox );
                     _selection.h = abs( oy );
-
-                    redraw();
                     break;
                 }
                 case FL_RELEASE:
diff --git a/Timeline.H b/Timeline.H
index 2fe0293..bce0100 100644
--- a/Timeline.H
+++ b/Timeline.H
@@ -23,33 +23,43 @@
 #include <FL/Fl_Pack.H>
 #include <FL/Fl_Scrollbar.H>
 #include <FL/Fl_Widget.H>
-#include <Fl/Fl_Overlay_Window.H>
+#include <FL/fl_draw.H>
 
 #include "Scalebar.H"
 
 #include "Audio_File.H" // just for nframes_t
-#include <math.h>
 
+#include <math.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 
-#include <FL/fl_draw.H>
-
 class Timeline;
 extern Timeline *timeline;
 
 #include "Track.H"
-// #include "Tempo_Track.H"
 
 class Tempo_Track;
 class Time_Track;
 
-// #include "Tempo_Point.H"
-// #include "Region.H"
-
 #include <list>
 using std::list;
 
 
+// disables double-buffering to make unnecessary redrawing more apparent
+// #define DEBUG_TIMELINE_DRAWING
+
+#ifndef DEBUG_TIMELINE_DRAWING
+
+#include <Fl/Fl_Overlay_Window.H>
+
+#else
+
+#include <FL/Fl_Single_Window.H>
+#define Fl_Overlay_Window Fl_Single_Window
+#define redraw_overlay()
+#endif
+
+
+
 struct Rectangle
 {
     int x;
@@ -61,6 +71,8 @@ struct Rectangle
     Rectangle ( int X, int Y, int W, int H ) : x( X ), y( Y ), w( W ), h( H ) {}
 };
 
+
+
 class Timeline : public Fl_Overlay_Window
 {
     static void draw_clip ( void * v, int X, int Y, int W, int H );