diff --git a/stepmania/src/Notes.cpp b/stepmania/src/Notes.cpp
index 10f9d7124c..06412a3365 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Notes.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Notes.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 #define COLOR_CHALLENGE	THEME->GetMetricC("Notes","ColorChallenge")
 #define COLOR_BATTLE	THEME->GetMetricC("Notes","ColorBattle")
 
-
 Notes::Notes()
 {
 	/* FIXME: should we init this to NOTES_TYPE_INVALID? 
@@ -50,32 +49,54 @@ Notes::Notes()
 	m_iMaxCombo = 0;
 	m_iTopScore = 0;
 	m_TopGrade = GRADE_NO_DATA;
+	notes = NULL;
+	notes_comp = NULL;
 }
 
 Notes::~Notes()
 {
+	delete notes;
+	delete notes_comp;
 }
 
 void Notes::SetNoteData( NoteData* pNewNoteData )
 {
 	ASSERT( pNewNoteData->m_iNumTracks == GameManager::NotesTypeToNumTracks(m_NotesType) );
-	m_sSMNoteData = NoteDataUtil::GetSMNoteDataString(*pNewNoteData);
+
+	delete notes_comp;
+	notes_comp = NULL;
+
+	delete notes;
+	notes = new NoteData(*pNewNoteData);
 }
 
 void Notes::GetNoteData( NoteData* pNoteDataOut ) const
 {
-	pNoteDataOut->m_iNumTracks = GameManager::NotesTypeToNumTracks( m_NotesType );
-	NoteDataUtil::LoadFromSMNoteDataString( *pNoteDataOut, m_sSMNoteData );
+	Decompress();
+	pNoteDataOut->m_iNumTracks = notes->m_iNumTracks;
+	*pNoteDataOut = *notes;
 }
 
 void Notes::SetSMNoteData( const CString &out )
 {
-	m_sSMNoteData = out;
+	delete notes;
+	notes = NULL;
+
+	if(!notes_comp)
+		notes_comp = new CString;
+
+	*notes_comp = out;
 }
 
 CString Notes::GetSMNoteData() const
 {
-	return m_sSMNoteData;
+	if(!notes_comp)
+	{
+		if(!notes) return ""; /* no data is no data */
+		notes_comp = new CString(NoteDataUtil::GetSMNoteDataString(*notes));
+	}
+
+	return *notes_comp;
 }
 
 // Color is a function of Difficulty and Intended Style
@@ -208,3 +229,26 @@ void SortNotesArrayByDifficulty( CArray<Notes*,Notes*> &arraySteps )
 	sort( arraySteps.begin(), arraySteps.end(), CompareNotesPointersByDifficulty );
 }
 
+void Notes::Decompress() const
+{
+	if(!notes_comp) return; /* no data is no data */
+	if(notes) return;
+
+	notes = new NoteData;
+	notes->m_iNumTracks = GameManager::NotesTypeToNumTracks(m_NotesType);
+
+	NoteDataUtil::LoadFromSMNoteDataString(*notes, *notes_comp);
+}
+
+void Notes::Compress() const
+{
+	if(!notes_comp)
+	{
+		if(!notes) return; /* no data is no data */
+		notes_comp = new CString(NoteDataUtil::GetSMNoteDataString(*notes));
+	}
+
+	delete notes;
+	notes = NULL;
+}
+
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Notes.h b/stepmania/src/Notes.h
index 2b1d6ae79d..627d0606b5 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Notes.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Notes.h
@@ -36,7 +36,16 @@ public:
 	// Loading
 	bool LoadFromNotesFile( const CString &sPath );
 
+	/* We can have one or both of these; if we have both, they're always identical.
+	 * Call Compress() to force us to only have notes_comp; otherwise, creation of 
+	 * these is transparent. */
+	mutable NoteData *notes;
+	mutable CString *notes_comp;
+	void Decompress() const;
+
 public:
+	void Compress() const;
+
 	NotesType		m_NotesType;
 	CString			m_sDescription;		// This text is displayed next to thte number of feet when a song is selected
 	bool			m_bAutoGen;			// Was created by autogen?
@@ -44,7 +53,6 @@ public:
 	int				m_iMeter;			// difficulty rating from 1-10
 	float			m_fRadarValues[NUM_RADAR_VALUES];	// between 0.0-1.2 starting from 12-o'clock rotating clockwise
 
-	CString			m_sSMNoteData;
 	void			GetNoteData( NoteData* pNoteDataOut ) const;
 	void			SetNoteData( NoteData* pNewNoteData );
 	void			SetSMNoteData( const CString &out );