diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.cc
index ba5a249917..16721e6908 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.cc
@@ -315,6 +315,18 @@ APianoKeyboard::handle_fixed_keys (GdkEventKey* ev)
 			case GDK_KEY_F4:
 				PitchBend (16383, false);
 				return true;
+			case GDK_KEY_F5:
+				SetVelocity (32);
+				return true;
+			case GDK_KEY_F6:
+				SetVelocity (64);
+				return true;
+			case GDK_KEY_F7:
+				SetVelocity (96);
+				return true;
+			case GDK_KEY_F8:
+				SetVelocity (127);
+				return true;
 			case GDK_KEY_Down:
 				PitchBend (0, true);
 				return true;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.h b/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.h
index 32bf6c7a56..737c7faa1f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianokeyboard.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public:
 	sigc::signal<void>            Rest;
 	sigc::signal<void,bool>       SustainChanged;
 	sigc::signal<void, int, bool> PitchBend;
+	sigc::signal<void, int>       SetVelocity;
 	sigc::signal<void, bool>      SwitchOctave;
 
 	void sustain_press ();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.cc b/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.cc
index 9f3e203f09..555c3bb2d6 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.cc
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ VirtualKeyboardWindow::VirtualKeyboardWindow ()
 	_piano.NoteOff.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &VirtualKeyboardWindow::note_off_event_handler));
 	_piano.SwitchOctave.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &VirtualKeyboardWindow::octave_key_event_handler));
 	_piano.PitchBend.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &VirtualKeyboardWindow::pitch_bend_key_event_handler));
+	_piano.SetVelocity.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &VirtualKeyboardWindow::velocity_key_event_handler));
 
 	/* initialize GUI */
 
@@ -448,6 +449,17 @@ VirtualKeyboardWindow::update_cc (size_t i, int cc)
 	_cc_key[i].set_active (buf);
 }
 
+void
+VirtualKeyboardWindow::velocity_key_event_handler (int v)
+{
+	if (v < 1 || v > 127) {
+		return;
+	}
+	char buf[16];
+	sprintf (buf, "%d", v);
+	_piano_velocity.set_active (buf);
+}
+
 void
 VirtualKeyboardWindow::octave_key_event_handler (bool up)
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.h b/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.h
index 514f508232..9eae27fb6a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/virtual_keyboard_window.h
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ private:
 	void modwheel_slider_adjusted ();
 
 	void octave_key_event_handler (bool);
+	void velocity_key_event_handler (int);
 	void pitch_bend_key_event_handler (int, bool);
 	bool pitch_bend_timeout ();