diff --git a/.pylintrc b/.pylintrc
index cfd1c41..3908316 100644
--- a/.pylintrc
+++ b/.pylintrc
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ confidence=
 # no Warning level messages displayed, use"--disable=all --enable=classes
 # --disable=W"
 # disable=import-error,print-statement,parameter-unpacking,unpacking-in-except,old-raise-syntax,backtick,long-suffix,old-ne-operator,old-octal-literal,import-star-module-level,raw-checker-failed,bad-inline-option,locally-disabled,locally-enabled,file-ignored,suppressed-message,useless-suppression,deprecated-pragma,apply-builtin,basestring-builtin,buffer-builtin,cmp-builtin,coerce-builtin,execfile-builtin,file-builtin,long-builtin,raw_input-builtin,reduce-builtin,standarderror-builtin,unicode-builtin,xrange-builtin,coerce-method,delslice-method,getslice-method,setslice-method,no-absolute-import,old-division,dict-iter-method,dict-view-method,next-method-called,metaclass-assignment,indexing-exception,raising-string,reload-builtin,oct-method,hex-method,nonzero-method,cmp-method,input-builtin,round-builtin,intern-builtin,unichr-builtin,map-builtin-not-iterating,zip-builtin-not-iterating,range-builtin-not-iterating,filter-builtin-not-iterating,using-cmp-argument,eq-without-hash,div-method,idiv-method,rdiv-method,exception-message-attribute,invalid-str-codec,sys-max-int,bad-python3-import,deprecated-string-function,deprecated-str-translate-call
-disable=print-statement,parameter-unpacking,unpacking-in-except,old-raise-syntax,backtick,long-suffix,old-ne-operator,old-octal-literal,import-star-module-level,raw-checker-failed,bad-inline-option,locally-disabled,locally-enabled,file-ignored,suppressed-message,useless-suppression,deprecated-pragma,apply-builtin,basestring-builtin,buffer-builtin,cmp-builtin,coerce-builtin,execfile-builtin,file-builtin,long-builtin,raw_input-builtin,reduce-builtin,standarderror-builtin,unicode-builtin,xrange-builtin,coerce-method,delslice-method,getslice-method,setslice-method,no-absolute-import,old-division,dict-iter-method,dict-view-method,next-method-called,metaclass-assignment,indexing-exception,raising-string,reload-builtin,oct-method,hex-method,nonzero-method,cmp-method,input-builtin,round-builtin,intern-builtin,unichr-builtin,map-builtin-not-iterating,zip-builtin-not-iterating,range-builtin-not-iterating,filter-builtin-not-iterating,using-cmp-argument,eq-without-hash,div-method,idiv-method,rdiv-method,exception-message-attribute,invalid-str-codec,sys-max-int,bad-python3-import,deprecated-string-function,deprecated-str-translate-call,import-error,bad-continuation,unspecified-encoding
+disable=print-statement,parameter-unpacking,unpacking-in-except,old-raise-syntax,backtick,long-suffix,old-ne-operator,old-octal-literal,import-star-module-level,raw-checker-failed,bad-inline-option,locally-disabled,locally-enabled,file-ignored,suppressed-message,useless-suppression,deprecated-pragma,apply-builtin,basestring-builtin,buffer-builtin,cmp-builtin,coerce-builtin,execfile-builtin,file-builtin,long-builtin,raw_input-builtin,reduce-builtin,standarderror-builtin,unicode-builtin,xrange-builtin,coerce-method,delslice-method,getslice-method,setslice-method,no-absolute-import,old-division,dict-iter-method,dict-view-method,next-method-called,metaclass-assignment,indexing-exception,raising-string,reload-builtin,oct-method,hex-method,nonzero-method,cmp-method,input-builtin,round-builtin,intern-builtin,unichr-builtin,map-builtin-not-iterating,zip-builtin-not-iterating,range-builtin-not-iterating,filter-builtin-not-iterating,using-cmp-argument,eq-without-hash,div-method,idiv-method,rdiv-method,exception-message-attribute,invalid-str-codec,sys-max-int,bad-python3-import,deprecated-string-function,deprecated-str-translate-call,import-error,bad-continuation,unspecified-encoding,duplicate-code
 
 # Enable the message, report, category or checker with the given id(s). You can
 # either give multiple identifier separated by comma (,) or put this option
diff --git a/adafruit_midi/note_off.py b/adafruit_midi/note_off.py
index 202c705..967cadd 100644
--- a/adafruit_midi/note_off.py
+++ b/adafruit_midi/note_off.py
@@ -37,10 +37,11 @@ class NoteOff(MIDIMessage):  # pylint: disable=duplicate-code
 
     def __init__(self, note, velocity=0, *, channel=None):
         self.note = note_parser(note)
-        """key, either int (0-127) or string that will be turned off """
-        self._velocity = velocity
+        """Key, either int (0-127) or string that will be turned off """
+        self.velocity = velocity
+        """Release velocity, int (0-127) """
         super().__init__(channel=channel)
-        if not 0 <= self.note <= 127 or not 0 <= self._velocity <= 127:
+        if not 0 <= self.note <= 127 or not 0 <= self.velocity <= 127:
             self._raise_valueerror_oor()
 
     def __bytes__(self):
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ def __bytes__(self):
             [
                 self._STATUS | (self.channel & self.CHANNELMASK),
                 self.note,
-                self._velocity,
+                self.velocity,
             ]
         )
 
diff --git a/adafruit_midi/note_on.py b/adafruit_midi/note_on.py
index 09c319a..0305be5 100644
--- a/adafruit_midi/note_on.py
+++ b/adafruit_midi/note_on.py
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ class NoteOn(MIDIMessage):
 
     def __init__(self, note, velocity=127, *, channel=None):
         self.note = note_parser(note)
+        """Key, either int (0-127) or string that will be turned on """
         self.velocity = velocity
+        """Strike velocity, int (0-127); 0 is equivalent to Note Off """
         super().__init__(channel=channel)
         if not 0 <= self.note <= 127 or not 0 <= self.velocity <= 127:
             self._raise_valueerror_oor()