: Why do MIDI note off messages have velocities? I understand why note on messages have velocities, but surely note off messages just turn them off - why do they also have a velocity? Equally, I checked if these velocities

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Note-off velocity means the speed with which a pressed-down key is released back up. This information can be used for at least Rhodes electric piano sounds, so that the keys make a different release sound depending on if the keys are released softly or ”hard”. The difference in sound isn’t big, but there is a difference. An experienced player can notice the difference in sound, and loud key releases can be used for certain types of rhythmic “barking” comping.

If you read the MIDI Implementation Chart of instruments, you’ll notice that many, or most keyboards don’t send note-off velocity. Even the Nord Electro keyboards, which are supposed to specialize in accurate emulation of Rhodes elecric pianos and other comparable keyboard instruments. Some sample libraries have multiple layers of sampled note-off i.e. key release sounds, so by using a keyboard which doesn’t transmit note-off velocity you’ll miss out on that dimension of expression.

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The note off velocity is basically how "hard" you release the key. Like, if you let it up gently or suddenly. Some synthesizers/patches may use this information to change the release, cutting off the sound more gradually or suddenly.

Not all MIDI controllers will transmit this. Many will simply send a fixed velocity. Also, an annoying detail of the MIDI spec is that it's also valid to signal note off via a note on message with velocity zero. I just happen to have a MIDI processing app running in dev right now and the controller I'm using does just that.