diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
index 07f40f763b..b73ae5eeb9 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSlider.cs
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
             Tracking.BindValueChanged(updateSlidingSample);
         }
 
-        private SkinnableSound slidingSample;
+        private PausableSkinnableSound slidingSample;
 
         protected override void LoadSamples()
         {
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
                 var clone = HitObject.SampleControlPoint.ApplyTo(firstSample);
                 clone.Name = "sliderslide";
 
-                AddInternal(slidingSample = new SkinnableSound(clone)
+                AddInternal(slidingSample = new PausableSkinnableSound(clone)
                 {
                     Looping = true
                 });
@@ -112,10 +112,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         private void updateSlidingSample(ValueChangedEvent<bool> tracking)
         {
-            // note that samples will not start playing if exiting a seek operation in the middle of a slider.
-            // may be something we want to address at a later point, but not so easy to make happen right now
-            // (SkinnableSound would need to expose whether the sample is already playing and this logic would need to run in Update).
-            if (tracking.NewValue && ShouldPlaySamples)
+            if (tracking.NewValue)
                 slidingSample?.Play();
             else
                 slidingSample?.Stop();
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs
index a57bb466c7..6488c60acf 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/Objects/Drawables/DrawableSpinner.cs
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
             isSpinning.BindValueChanged(updateSpinningSample);
         }
 
-        private SkinnableSound spinningSample;
+        private PausableSkinnableSound spinningSample;
         private const float spinning_sample_initial_frequency = 1.0f;
         private const float spinning_sample_modulated_base_frequency = 0.5f;
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
                 var clone = HitObject.SampleControlPoint.ApplyTo(firstSample);
                 clone.Name = "spinnerspin";
 
-                AddInternal(spinningSample = new SkinnableSound(clone)
+                AddInternal(spinningSample = new PausableSkinnableSound(clone)
                 {
                     Volume = { Value = 0 },
                     Looping = true,
@@ -113,10 +113,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.Objects.Drawables
 
         private void updateSpinningSample(ValueChangedEvent<bool> tracking)
         {
-            // note that samples will not start playing if exiting a seek operation in the middle of a spinner.
-            // may be something we want to address at a later point, but not so easy to make happen right now
-            // (SkinnableSound would need to expose whether the sample is already playing and this logic would need to run in Update).
-            if (tracking.NewValue && ShouldPlaySamples)
+            if (tracking.NewValue)
             {
                 spinningSample?.Play();
                 spinningSample?.VolumeTo(1, 200);
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Audio/DrumSampleContainer.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Audio/DrumSampleContainer.cs
index 7c39c040b1..fcf7c529f5 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Audio/DrumSampleContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko/Audio/DrumSampleContainer.cs
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Audio
             }
         }
 
-        private SkinnableSound addSound(HitSampleInfo hitSampleInfo, double lifetimeStart, double lifetimeEnd)
+        private PausableSkinnableSound addSound(HitSampleInfo hitSampleInfo, double lifetimeStart, double lifetimeEnd)
         {
-            var drawable = new SkinnableSound(hitSampleInfo)
+            var drawable = new PausableSkinnableSound(hitSampleInfo)
             {
                 LifetimeStart = lifetimeStart,
                 LifetimeEnd = lifetimeEnd
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Taiko.Audio
 
         public class DrumSample
         {
-            public SkinnableSound Centre;
-            public SkinnableSound Rim;
+            public PausableSkinnableSound Centre;
+            public PausableSkinnableSound Rim;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSkinnableSound.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSkinnableSound.cs
index ed75d83151..8f2011e5dd 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSkinnableSound.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/Gameplay/TestSceneSkinnableSound.cs
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Gameplay
 {
     public class TestSceneSkinnableSound : OsuTestScene
     {
-        [Cached]
+        [Cached(typeof(ISamplePlaybackDisabler))]
         private GameplayClock gameplayClock = new GameplayClock(new FramedClock());
 
         private TestSkinSourceContainer skinSource;
-        private SkinnableSound skinnableSound;
+        private PausableSkinnableSound skinnableSound;
 
         [SetUp]
         public void SetUp() => Schedule(() =>
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual.Gameplay
                 {
                     Clock = gameplayClock,
                     RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
-                    Child = skinnableSound = new SkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("normal-sliderslide"))
+                    Child = skinnableSound = new PausableSkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("normal-sliderslide"))
                 },
             };
         });
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Mods/ModNightcore.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Mods/ModNightcore.cs
index 4004953cd1..282de3a8e1 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Mods/ModNightcore.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Mods/ModNightcore.cs
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mods
 
         public class NightcoreBeatContainer : BeatSyncedContainer
         {
-            private SkinnableSound hatSample;
-            private SkinnableSound clapSample;
-            private SkinnableSound kickSample;
-            private SkinnableSound finishSample;
+            private PausableSkinnableSound hatSample;
+            private PausableSkinnableSound clapSample;
+            private PausableSkinnableSound kickSample;
+            private PausableSkinnableSound finishSample;
 
             private int? firstBeat;
 
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mods
             {
                 InternalChildren = new Drawable[]
                 {
-                    hatSample = new SkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-hat")),
-                    clapSample = new SkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-clap")),
-                    kickSample = new SkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-kick")),
-                    finishSample = new SkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-finish")),
+                    hatSample = new PausableSkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-hat")),
+                    clapSample = new PausableSkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-clap")),
+                    kickSample = new PausableSkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-kick")),
+                    finishSample = new PausableSkinnableSound(new SampleInfo("nightcore-finish")),
                 };
             }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
index 7c05bc9aa7..eb12c1cdfc 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/Objects/Drawables/DrawableHitObject.cs
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ using osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Types;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Scoring;
 using osu.Game.Skinning;
 using osu.Game.Configuration;
-using osu.Game.Screens.Play;
 using osuTK.Graphics;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
         /// </summary>
         public readonly Bindable<Color4> AccentColour = new Bindable<Color4>(Color4.Gray);
 
-        protected SkinnableSound Samples { get; private set; }
+        protected PausableSkinnableSound Samples { get; private set; }
 
         public virtual IEnumerable<HitSampleInfo> GetSamples() => HitObject.Samples;
 
@@ -179,7 +178,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
                                                     + $" This is an indication that {nameof(HitObject.ApplyDefaults)} has not been invoked on {this}.");
             }
 
-            Samples = new SkinnableSound(samples.Select(s => HitObject.SampleControlPoint.ApplyTo(s)));
+            Samples = new PausableSkinnableSound(samples.Select(s => HitObject.SampleControlPoint.ApplyTo(s)));
             AddInternal(Samples);
         }
 
@@ -359,9 +358,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
         {
         }
 
-        [Resolved(canBeNull: true)]
-        private GameplayClock gameplayClock { get; set; }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Calculate the position to be used for sample playback at a specified X position (0..1).
         /// </summary>
@@ -374,18 +370,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Objects.Drawables
             return balance_adjust_amount * (userPositionalHitSounds.Value ? position - 0.5f : 0);
         }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Whether samples should currently be playing. Will be false during seek operations.
-        /// </summary>
-        protected bool ShouldPlaySamples => gameplayClock?.IsSeeking != true;
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Plays all the hit sounds for this <see cref="DrawableHitObject"/>.
         /// This is invoked automatically when this <see cref="DrawableHitObject"/> is hit.
         /// </summary>
         public virtual void PlaySamples()
         {
-            if (Samples != null && ShouldPlaySamples)
+            if (Samples != null)
             {
                 Samples.Balance.Value = CalculateSamplePlaybackBalance(SamplePlaybackPosition);
                 Samples.Play();
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Editor.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Editor.cs
index fd090e0959..a0692d94e6 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Editor.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Editor.cs
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
             UpdateClockSource();
 
             dependencies.CacheAs(clock);
+            dependencies.CacheAs<ISamplePlaybackDisabler>(clock);
             AddInternal(clock);
 
             // todo: remove caching of this and consume via editorBeatmap?
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorClock.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorClock.cs
index ec203df064..4b7cd82637 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorClock.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorClock.cs
@@ -7,17 +7,18 @@ using osu.Framework.Audio.Track;
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Transforms;
-using osu.Framework.Utils;
 using osu.Framework.Timing;
+using osu.Framework.Utils;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps.ControlPoints;
+using osu.Game.Screens.Play;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// A decoupled clock which adds editor-specific functionality, such as snapping to a user-defined beat divisor.
     /// </summary>
-    public class EditorClock : Component, IFrameBasedClock, IAdjustableClock, ISourceChangeableClock
+    public class EditorClock : Component, IFrameBasedClock, IAdjustableClock, ISourceChangeableClock, ISamplePlaybackDisabler
     {
         public IBindable<Track> Track => track;
 
@@ -31,6 +32,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
 
         private readonly DecoupleableInterpolatingFramedClock underlyingClock;
 
+        public IBindable<bool> SamplePlaybackDisabled => samplePlaybackDisabled;
+
+        private readonly Bindable<bool> samplePlaybackDisabled = new Bindable<bool>();
+
         public EditorClock(WorkingBeatmap beatmap, BindableBeatDivisor beatDivisor)
             : this(beatmap.Beatmap.ControlPointInfo, beatmap.Track.Length, beatDivisor)
         {
@@ -166,11 +171,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
 
         public void Stop()
         {
+            samplePlaybackDisabled.Value = true;
             underlyingClock.Stop();
         }
 
         public bool Seek(double position)
         {
+            samplePlaybackDisabled.Value = true;
+
             ClearTransforms();
             return underlyingClock.Seek(position);
         }
@@ -211,8 +219,35 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
 
         private const double transform_time = 300;
 
+        protected override void Update()
+        {
+            base.Update();
+
+            updateSeekingState();
+        }
+
+        private void updateSeekingState()
+        {
+            if (samplePlaybackDisabled.Value)
+            {
+                if (track.Value?.IsRunning != true)
+                {
+                    // seeking in the editor can happen while the track isn't running.
+                    // in this case we always want to expose ourselves as seeking (to avoid sample playback).
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                // we are either running a seek tween or doing an immediate seek.
+                // in the case of an immediate seek the seeking bool will be set to false after one update.
+                // this allows for silencing hit sounds and the likes.
+                samplePlaybackDisabled.Value = Transforms.Any();
+            }
+        }
+
         public void SeekTo(double seekDestination)
         {
+            samplePlaybackDisabled.Value = true;
+
             if (IsRunning)
                 Seek(seekDestination);
             else
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClock.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClock.cs
index 45da8816d6..9d04722c12 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClock.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClock.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
     /// <see cref="IFrameBasedClock"/>, as this should only be done once to ensure accuracy.
     /// </remarks>
     /// </summary>
-    public class GameplayClock : IFrameBasedClock
+    public class GameplayClock : IFrameBasedClock, ISamplePlaybackDisabler
     {
         private readonly IFrameBasedClock underlyingClock;
 
@@ -72,5 +72,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         public FrameTimeInfo TimeInfo => underlyingClock.TimeInfo;
 
         public IClock Source => underlyingClock;
+
+        public IBindable<bool> SamplePlaybackDisabled => IsPaused;
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs
index 6679e56871..9f8e55f577 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/GameplayClockContainer.cs
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         public GameplayClock GameplayClock => localGameplayClock;
 
         [Cached(typeof(GameplayClock))]
+        [Cached(typeof(ISamplePlaybackDisabler))]
         private readonly LocalGameplayClock localGameplayClock;
 
         private Bindable<double> userAudioOffset;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/ISamplePlaybackDisabler.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/ISamplePlaybackDisabler.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b37021fe6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/ISamplePlaybackDisabler.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
+// See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
+
+using osu.Framework.Bindables;
+using osu.Game.Skinning;
+
+namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Allows a component to disable sample playback dynamically as required.
+    /// Handled by <see cref="PausableSkinnableSound"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    public interface ISamplePlaybackDisabler
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether sample playback should be disabled (or paused for looping samples).
+        /// </summary>
+        IBindable<bool> SamplePlaybackDisabled { get; }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game/Skinning/PausableSkinnableSound.cs b/osu.Game/Skinning/PausableSkinnableSound.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..991278fb98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Game/Skinning/PausableSkinnableSound.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+// Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
+// See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
+
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Bindables;
+using osu.Game.Audio;
+using osu.Game.Screens.Play;
+
+namespace osu.Game.Skinning
+{
+    public class PausableSkinnableSound : SkinnableSound
+    {
+        protected bool RequestedPlaying { get; private set; }
+
+        public PausableSkinnableSound(ISampleInfo hitSamples)
+            : base(hitSamples)
+        {
+        }
+
+        public PausableSkinnableSound(IEnumerable<ISampleInfo> hitSamples)
+            : base(hitSamples)
+        {
+        }
+
+        private readonly IBindable<bool> samplePlaybackDisabled = new Bindable<bool>();
+
+        [BackgroundDependencyLoader(true)]
+        private void load(ISamplePlaybackDisabler samplePlaybackDisabler)
+        {
+            // if in a gameplay context, pause sample playback when gameplay is paused.
+            if (samplePlaybackDisabler != null)
+            {
+                samplePlaybackDisabled.BindTo(samplePlaybackDisabler.SamplePlaybackDisabled);
+                samplePlaybackDisabled.BindValueChanged(disabled =>
+                {
+                    if (RequestedPlaying)
+                    {
+                        if (disabled.NewValue)
+                            base.Stop();
+                        // it's not easy to know if a sample has finished playing (to end).
+                        // to keep things simple only resume playing looping samples.
+                        else if (Looping)
+                            base.Play();
+                    }
+                });
+            }
+        }
+
+        public override void Play()
+        {
+            RequestedPlaying = true;
+
+            if (samplePlaybackDisabled.Value)
+                return;
+
+            base.Play();
+        }
+
+        public override void Stop()
+        {
+            RequestedPlaying = false;
+            base.Stop();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game/Skinning/SkinnableSound.cs b/osu.Game/Skinning/SkinnableSound.cs
index ba14049b41..91bdcd7444 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Skinning/SkinnableSound.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Skinning/SkinnableSound.cs
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ using osu.Framework.Extensions.IEnumerableExtensions;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Audio;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Game.Audio;
-using osu.Game.Screens.Play;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Skinning
 {
@@ -22,8 +21,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Skinning
         [Resolved]
         private ISampleStore samples { get; set; }
 
-        private bool requestedPlaying;
-
         public override bool RemoveWhenNotAlive => false;
         public override bool RemoveCompletedTransforms => false;
 
@@ -50,27 +47,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Skinning
             InternalChild = samplesContainer = new AudioContainer<DrawableSample>();
         }
 
-        private Bindable<bool> gameplayClockPaused;
-
-        [BackgroundDependencyLoader(true)]
-        private void load(GameplayClock gameplayClock)
-        {
-            // if in a gameplay context, pause sample playback when gameplay is paused.
-            gameplayClockPaused = gameplayClock?.IsPaused.GetBoundCopy();
-            gameplayClockPaused?.BindValueChanged(paused =>
-            {
-                if (requestedPlaying)
-                {
-                    if (paused.NewValue)
-                        stop();
-                    // it's not easy to know if a sample has finished playing (to end).
-                    // to keep things simple only resume playing looping samples.
-                    else if (Looping)
-                        play();
-                }
-            });
-        }
-
         private bool looping;
 
         public bool Looping
@@ -86,13 +62,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Skinning
             }
         }
 
-        public void Play()
-        {
-            requestedPlaying = true;
-            play();
-        }
-
-        private void play()
+        public virtual void Play()
         {
             samplesContainer.ForEach(c =>
             {
@@ -101,13 +71,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Skinning
             });
         }
 
-        public void Stop()
-        {
-            requestedPlaying = false;
-            stop();
-        }
-
-        private void stop()
+        public virtual void Stop()
         {
             samplesContainer.ForEach(c => c.Stop());
         }
@@ -142,7 +106,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Skinning
 
             // Start playback internally for the new samples if the previous ones were playing beforehand.
             if (wasPlaying)
-                play();
+                Play();
         }
 
         #region Re-expose AudioContainer