diff --git a/.github/workflows/push_pr.yml b/.github/workflows/push_pr.yml
index aa559d7b..00705e57 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/push_pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/push_pr.yml
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash -l {0}
         run: |
             pip install .
-            pytest pypulseq/tests
+            pytest -m "not matlab_seq_comp" pypulseq/tests
diff --git a/pypulseq/make_block_pulse.py b/pypulseq/make_block_pulse.py
index 34f399d6..406889d6 100644
--- a/pypulseq/make_block_pulse.py
+++ b/pypulseq/make_block_pulse.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 from typing import Tuple, Union
+from warnings import warn
 
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -11,29 +12,36 @@
 
 def make_block_pulse(
     flip_angle: float,
-    bandwidth: float = 0,
     delay: float = 0,
-    duration: float = 4e-3,
+    duration: float = None,
+    bandwidth: float = None,
+    time_bw_product: float = None,
     freq_offset: float = 0,
     phase_offset: float = 0,
     return_delay: bool = False,
     system: Opts = Opts(),
-    time_bw_product: float = 0,
     use: str = str(),
 ) -> Union[SimpleNamespace, Tuple[SimpleNamespace, SimpleNamespace]]:
     """
-    Create a block pulse with optional slice selectiveness.
+    Create a block (RECT or hard) pulse.
+
+    Define duration, or bandwidth, or bandwidth and time_bw_product.
+    If none are provided a default 4 ms pulse will be generated.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
     flip_angle : float
         Flip angle in radians.
-    bandwidth : float, default=0
-        Bandwidth in Hertz (hz).
     delay : float, default=0
-        Delay in seconds (s) of accompanying slice select trapezoidal event.
-    duration : float, default=4e-3
+        Delay in seconds (s).
+    duration : float, default=None
         Duration in seconds (s).
+    bandwidth : float, default=None
+        Bandwidth in Hertz (Hz).
+        If supplied without time_bw_product duration = 1 / (4 * bandwidth)
+    time_bw_product : float, default=None
+        Time-bandwidth product.
+        If supplied with bandwidth, duration = time_bw_product / bandwidth
     freq_offset : float, default=0
         Frequency offset in Hertz (Hz).
     phase_offset : float, default=0
@@ -42,40 +50,57 @@ def make_block_pulse(
         Boolean flag to indicate if the delay event has to be returned.
     system : Opts, default=Opts()
         System limits.
-    time_bw_product : float, default=0
-        Time-bandwidth product.
     use : str, default=str()
-        Use of radio-frequency block pulse event. Must be one of 'excitation', 'refocusing' or 'inversion'.
+        Use of radio-frequency block pulse event.
 
     Returns
     -------
     rf : SimpleNamespace
         Radio-frequency block pulse event.
     delay : SimpleNamespace, optional
-        Slice select trapezoidal gradient event accompanying the radio-frequency block pulse event.
+        Delay event.
 
     Raises
     ------
     ValueError
-        If invalid `use` parameter is passed. Must be one of 'excitation', 'refocusing' or 'inversion'.
-        If neither `bandwidth` nor `duration` are passed.
-        If `return_gz=True`, and `slice_thickness` is not passed.
+        If invalid `use` parameter is passed.
+        One of bandwidth or duration must be defined, but not both.
+        One of bandwidth or duration must be defined and be > 0.
     """
     valid_use_pulses = get_supported_rf_uses()
     if use != "" and use not in valid_use_pulses:
         raise ValueError(
-            f"Invalid use parameter. Must be one of 'excitation', 'refocusing' or 'inversion'. Passed: {use}"
+            "Invalid use parameter. "
+            f"Must be one of {valid_use_pulses}. Passed: {use}"
         )
 
-    if duration == 0:
-        if time_bw_product > 0:
+    if duration is None and bandwidth is None:
+        warn('Using default 4 ms duration for block pulse.')
+        duration = 4E-3
+    elif duration is not None and bandwidth is not None\
+            and duration > 0:
+        # Multiple arguments
+        raise ValueError(
+            "One of bandwidth or duration must be defined, but not both.")
+    elif duration is not None\
+            and duration > 0:
+        # Explicitly handle this most expected case.
+        # There is probably a better way of writing this if block
+        pass
+    elif duration is None\
+            and bandwidth is not None\
+            and bandwidth > 0:
+        if time_bw_product is not None\
+                and time_bw_product > 0:
             duration = time_bw_product / bandwidth
-        elif bandwidth > 0:
-            duration = 1 / (4 * bandwidth)
         else:
-            raise ValueError("Either bandwidth or duration must be defined")
+            duration = 1 / (4 * bandwidth)
+    else:
+        # Invalid arguments
+        raise ValueError(
+            "One of bandwidth or duration must be defined and be > 0. "
+            f"duration = {duration} s, bandwidth = {bandwidth} Hz.")
 
-    BW = 1 / (4 * duration)
     N = round(duration / system.rf_raster_time)
     t = np.array([0, N]) * system.rf_raster_time
     signal = flip_angle / (2 * np.pi) / duration * np.ones_like(t)
diff --git a/pypulseq/make_sigpy_pulse.py b/pypulseq/make_sigpy_pulse.py
index 34e6f505..99e975e6 100644
--- a/pypulseq/make_sigpy_pulse.py
+++ b/pypulseq/make_sigpy_pulse.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ def sigpy_n_seq(
     time_bw_product: float = 4,
     pulse_cfg: SigpyPulseOpts = SigpyPulseOpts(),
     use: str = str(),
+    plot: bool = True,
 ) -> Union[SimpleNamespace, Tuple[SimpleNamespace, SimpleNamespace, SimpleNamespace]]:
     """
     Creates a radio-frequency sinc pulse event using the sigpy rf pulse library and optionally accompanying slice select, slice select rephasing
@@ -62,6 +63,8 @@ def sigpy_n_seq(
         Time-bandwidth product.
     use : str, optional, default=str()
         Use of radio-frequency sinc pulse. Must be one of 'excitation', 'refocusing' or 'inversion'.
+    plot: bool, optional, default=True
+        Show sigpy plot outputs
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -92,7 +95,7 @@ def sigpy_n_seq(
             duration=duration,
             system=system,
             pulse_cfg=pulse_cfg,
-            disp=True,
+            disp=plot,
         )
     if pulse_cfg.pulse_type == "sms":
         [signal, t, pulse] = make_sms(
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@ def sigpy_n_seq(
             duration=duration,
             system=system,
             pulse_cfg=pulse_cfg,
-            disp=True,
+            disp=plot,
         )
 
     rfp = SimpleNamespace()
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/pytest.ini b/pypulseq/tests/pytest.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0f760eaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/pytest.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[pytest]
+markers =
+    matlab_seq_comp: marks tests as comparison with matlab generated sequence (deselect with '-m "not matlab_seq_comp"')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_MPRAGE.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_MPRAGE.py
index 59eecb0d..22c11ec9 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_MPRAGE.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_MPRAGE.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_MPRAGE
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestMPRAGE(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "mprage_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi.py
index 3c3d3592..53ddd1c6 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_epi
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestEPI(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "epi_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_label.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_label.py
index bfbcde62..91cad996 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_label.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_label.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_epi_label
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestEPILabel(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "epi_label_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se.py
index 6b6713b2..4c8ddf71 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_epi_se
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestEPISpinEcho(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "epi_se_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se_rs.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se_rs.py
index ae4e57b3..37050265 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se_rs.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_epi_se_rs.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_epi_se_rs
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestEPISpinEchoRS(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "epi_se_rs_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_gre.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_gre.py
index dbb99685..5bd6aba2 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_gre.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_gre.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_gre
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestGRE(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "gre_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_label.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_label.py
index 5899f8e9..640d0087 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_label.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_label.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_gre_label
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestGRELabel(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "gre_label_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_radial.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_radial.py
index 99b6c558..878032c6 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_radial.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_gre_radial.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_radial_gre
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestEPISpinEchoRS(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "gre_radial_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_haste.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_haste.py
index a7f06212..dbd1e4e6 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_haste.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_haste.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_haste
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestHASTE(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "haste_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_make_block_pulse.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_make_block_pulse.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..232328bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_make_block_pulse.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+"""Tests for the make_block_pulse.py module
+
+Will Clarke, University of Oxford, 2023
+"""
+
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import pytest
+import numpy as np
+
+from pypulseq import make_block_pulse
+
+
+def test_invalid_use_error():
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+            ValueError,
+            match=r"Invalid use parameter."):
+        make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi, duration=1E-3, use='foo')
+
+
+def test_bandwidth_and_duration_error():
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+            ValueError,
+            match=r"One of bandwidth or duration must be defined, but not both."):
+        make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi, duration=1E-3, bandwidth=1000)
+
+
+def test_invalid_bandwidth_and_duration_error():
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+            ValueError,
+            match=r"One of bandwidth or duration must be defined and be > 0."):
+        make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi, duration=-1E-3)
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+            ValueError,
+            match=r"One of bandwidth or duration must be defined and be > 0."):
+        make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi, bandwidth=-1E3)
+
+
+def test_default_duration_warning():
+
+    with pytest.warns(
+        UserWarning,
+        match=r'Using default 4 ms duration for block pulse.'):
+        make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi)
+
+
+def test_generation_methods():
+    """Test minimum input cases
+    Cover:
+        - Just flip_angle
+        - duration
+        - bandwidth
+        - bandwidth + time_bw_product
+    """
+
+    # Capture expected warning for default case
+    with pytest.warns(UserWarning):
+        case1 = make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi)
+
+    assert isinstance(case1, SimpleNamespace)
+    assert case1.shape_dur == 4E-3
+
+    case2 = make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi, duration=1E-3)
+    assert isinstance(case2, SimpleNamespace)
+    assert case2.shape_dur == 1E-3
+
+    case3 = make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi, bandwidth=1E3)
+    assert isinstance(case3, SimpleNamespace)
+    assert case3.shape_dur == 1 / (4 * 1E3)
+
+    case4 = make_block_pulse(flip_angle=np.pi, bandwidth=1E3, time_bw_product=5)
+    assert isinstance(case4, SimpleNamespace)
+    assert case4.shape_dur == 5 / 1E3
+
+
+def test_amp_calculation():
+    # A 1 ms 180 degree pulse requires 500 Hz gamma B1
+    pulse = make_block_pulse(duration=1E-3, flip_angle=np.pi)
+    assert np.isclose(pulse.signal.max(), 500)
+
+    pulse = make_block_pulse(duration=1E-3, flip_angle=np.pi/2)
+    assert np.isclose(pulse.signal.max(), 250)
+
+    pulse = make_block_pulse(duration=2E-3, flip_angle=np.pi/2)
+    assert np.isclose(pulse.signal.max(), 125)
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_sigpy.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_sigpy.py
index 2e37cf31..92fc7607 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_sigpy.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_sigpy.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ def test_slr(self):
             time_bw_product=4,
             return_gz=True,
             pulse_cfg=pulse_cfg,
+            plot=False,
         )
 
         [a, b] = rf.sim.abrm(
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ def test_sms(self):
             time_bw_product=4,
             return_gz=True,
             pulse_cfg=pulse_cfg,
+            plot=False
         )
 
         [a, b] = rf.sim.abrm(
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_tse.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_tse.py
index 908fba11..0a3e4127 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_tse.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_tse.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_tse
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestTSE(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "tse_matlab.seq"
diff --git a/pypulseq/tests/test_ute.py b/pypulseq/tests/test_ute.py
index 3742a4a3..bf3b7a33 100644
--- a/pypulseq/tests/test_ute.py
+++ b/pypulseq/tests/test_ute.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 from pypulseq.seq_examples.scripts import write_ute
 from pypulseq.tests import base
 
+import pytest
 
+
+@pytest.mark.matlab_seq_comp
 class TestUTE(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_write_epi(self):
         matlab_seq_filename = "ute_matlab.seq"