diff --git a/src/engine/dispatch.h b/src/engine/dispatch.h
index bfdcf6883..6dcb6171e 100644
--- a/src/engine/dispatch.h
+++ b/src/engine/dispatch.h
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ enum DivDispatchCmds {
   DIV_CMD_ENV_RELEASE,
   DIV_CMD_INSTRUMENT, // (ins, force)
   DIV_CMD_VOLUME, // (vol)
+  // TODO: think of possibly moving this
   DIV_CMD_GET_VOLUME, // () -> vol
+  // TODO: move. shouldn't be a command.
   DIV_CMD_GET_VOLMAX, // () -> volMax
   DIV_CMD_NOTE_PORTA, // (target, speed) -> 2 if target reached
   DIV_CMD_PITCH, // (pitch)
@@ -589,6 +591,14 @@ class DivDispatch {
      */
     virtual bool isVolGlobal();
 
+    /**
+     * map MIDI velocity (from 0 to 127) to chip volume.
+     * @param ch the chip channel. -1 means N/A.
+     * @param vel input velocity.
+     * @return output volume.
+     */
+    virtual int mapVelocity(int ch, unsigned char vel);
+
     /**
      * get the lowest note in a portamento.
      * @param ch the channel in question.
diff --git a/src/engine/engine.h b/src/engine/engine.h
index 4ffe7744b..db8cb7b34 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine.h
+++ b/src/engine/engine.h
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ struct DivNoteEvent {
     channel(-1),
     ins(0),
     note(0),
-    volume(0),
+    volume(-1),
     on(false),
     nop(true),
     pad1(false),
diff --git a/src/engine/platform/abstract.cpp b/src/engine/platform/abstract.cpp
index e0b0229cb..aaa27a494 100644
--- a/src/engine/platform/abstract.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/platform/abstract.cpp
@@ -102,6 +102,11 @@ bool DivDispatch::isVolGlobal() {
   return false;
 }
 
+int DivDispatch::mapVelocity(int ch, unsigned char vel) {
+  const int volMax=MAX(1,dispatch(DivCommand(DIV_CMD_GET_VOLMAX,MAX(ch,0))));
+  return (vel*volMax)/127;
+}
+
 int DivDispatch::getPortaFloor(int ch) {
   return 0x00;
 }
diff --git a/src/engine/playback.cpp b/src/engine/playback.cpp
index 0f90d0ac1..d2a0db179 100644
--- a/src/engine/playback.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/playback.cpp
@@ -1372,7 +1372,11 @@ bool DivEngine::nextTick(bool noAccum, bool inhibitLowLat) {
     }
     if (note.on) {
       dispatchCmd(DivCommand(DIV_CMD_INSTRUMENT,note.channel,note.ins,1));
-      dispatchCmd(DivCommand(DIV_CMD_VOLUME,note.channel,(note.volume*(chan[note.channel].volMax>>8))/127));
+      if (note.volume>=0) {
+        int mappedVol=disCont[dispatchOfChan[note.channel]].dispatch->mapVelocity(note.channel,note.volume);
+        logV("dispatching volume (%d -> %d)",note.volume,mappedVol);
+        dispatchCmd(DivCommand(DIV_CMD_VOLUME,note.channel,mappedVol));
+      }
       dispatchCmd(DivCommand(DIV_CMD_NOTE_ON,note.channel,note.note));
       keyHit[note.channel]=true;
       chan[note.channel].releasing=false;