diff --git a/fluidsynth/include/fluidsynth/voice.h b/fluidsynth/include/fluidsynth/voice.h
index e053c7dc..f19d9a3a 100644
--- a/fluidsynth/include/fluidsynth/voice.h
+++ b/fluidsynth/include/fluidsynth/voice.h
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ FLUIDSYNTH_API void fluid_voice_gen_incr(fluid_voice_t* voice, int gen, float va
 
 FLUIDSYNTH_API unsigned int fluid_voice_get_id(fluid_voice_t* voice);
 FLUIDSYNTH_API int fluid_voice_is_playing(fluid_voice_t* voice);
+FLUIDSYNTH_API int fluid_voice_is_on(fluid_voice_t* voice);
+FLUIDSYNTH_API int fluid_voice_is_sustained(fluid_voice_t* voice);
+FLUIDSYNTH_API int fluid_voice_is_sostenuto(fluid_voice_t* voice);
 FLUIDSYNTH_API int fluid_voice_get_channel(fluid_voice_t* voice);
 FLUIDSYNTH_API int fluid_voice_get_key(fluid_voice_t* voice);
 FLUIDSYNTH_API int fluid_voice_get_velocity(fluid_voice_t* voice);
diff --git a/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_synth.c b/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_synth.c
index 4e08dc84..1c484040 100644
--- a/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_synth.c
+++ b/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_synth.c
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ fluid_synth_noteoff_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth, int chan, int key)
 
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
-    if (_ON(voice) && (voice->chan == chan) && (voice->key == key)) {
+    if (fluid_voice_is_on(voice) && (voice->chan == chan) && (voice->key == key)) {
       if (synth->verbose) {
 	int used_voices = 0;
 	int k;
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ fluid_synth_damp_voices_by_sustain_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth, int chan)
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if ((voice->chan == chan) && _SUSTAINED(voice))
+    if ((voice->chan == chan) && fluid_voice_is_sustained(voice))
      fluid_voice_release(voice);
   }
 
@@ -1031,7 +1031,7 @@ fluid_synth_damp_voices_by_sostenuto_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth, int chan)
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if ((voice->chan == chan) && _HELD_BY_SOSTENUTO(voice))
+    if ((voice->chan == chan) && fluid_voice_is_sostenuto(voice))
      fluid_voice_release(voice);
   }
 
@@ -1528,7 +1528,7 @@ fluid_synth_all_notes_off_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth, int chan)
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if (_PLAYING(voice) && ((-1 == chan) || (chan == voice->chan)))
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice) && ((-1 == chan) || (chan == voice->chan)))
       fluid_voice_noteoff(voice);
   }
   return FLUID_OK;
@@ -1566,7 +1566,7 @@ fluid_synth_all_sounds_off_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth, int chan)
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if (_PLAYING(voice) && ((-1 == chan) || (chan == voice->chan)))
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice) && ((-1 == chan) || (chan == voice->chan)))
       fluid_voice_off(voice);
   }
   return FLUID_OK;
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ fluid_synth_system_reset_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth)
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if (_PLAYING(voice))
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice))
       fluid_voice_off(voice);
   }
 
@@ -2259,7 +2259,7 @@ fluid_synth_update_gain_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth)
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++)
   {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
-    if (_PLAYING (voice)) fluid_voice_set_gain (voice, gain);
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice)) fluid_voice_set_gain (voice, gain);
   }
 }
 
@@ -2336,7 +2336,7 @@ fluid_synth_update_polyphony_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth, int new_polyphony)
   for (i = synth->polyphony; i < synth->nvoice; i++)
   {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
-    if (_PLAYING (voice)) fluid_voice_off (voice);
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice)) fluid_voice_off (voice);
   }
 
   fluid_synth_update_mixer(synth, fluid_rvoice_mixer_set_polyphony, 
@@ -3132,7 +3132,7 @@ fluid_synth_kill_by_exclusive_class_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth,
     /* If voice is playing, on the same channel, has same exclusive
      * class and is not part of the same noteon event (voice group), then kill it */
 
-    if (_PLAYING(existing_voice)
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(existing_voice)
         && existing_voice->chan == new_voice->chan
         && (int)_GEN (existing_voice, GEN_EXCLUSIVECLASS) == excl_class
         && fluid_voice_get_id (existing_voice) != fluid_voice_get_id(new_voice))
@@ -3699,7 +3699,7 @@ fluid_synth_get_voicelist(fluid_synth_t* synth, fluid_voice_t* buf[], int bufsiz
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony && count < bufsize; i++) {
     fluid_voice_t* voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if (_PLAYING(voice) && (id < 0 || (int)voice->id == id))
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice) && (id < 0 || (int)voice->id == id))
       buf[count++] = voice;
   }
 
@@ -4057,12 +4057,12 @@ fluid_synth_release_voice_on_same_note_LOCAL(fluid_synth_t* synth, int chan,
 
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
-    if (_PLAYING(voice)
+    if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice)
 	&& (voice->chan == chan)
 	&& (voice->key == key)
 	&& (fluid_voice_get_id(voice) != synth->noteid)) {
       /* Id of voices that was sustained by sostenuto */
-      if(_HELD_BY_SOSTENUTO(voice))
+      if(fluid_voice_is_sostenuto(voice))
         synth->storeid = voice->id;
       /* Force the voice into release stage (pedaling is ignored) */
       fluid_voice_release(voice);
@@ -4273,7 +4273,7 @@ fluid_synth_update_voice_tuning_LOCAL (fluid_synth_t *synth, fluid_channel_t *ch
   {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if (_ON (voice) && (voice->channel == channel))
+    if (fluid_voice_is_on(voice) && (voice->channel == channel))
     {
       fluid_voice_calculate_gen_pitch (voice);
       fluid_voice_update_param (voice, GEN_PITCH);
@@ -5018,7 +5018,7 @@ fluid_synth_stop_LOCAL (fluid_synth_t *synth, unsigned int id)
   for (i = 0; i < synth->polyphony; i++) {
     voice = synth->voice[i];
 
-    if (_ON(voice) && (fluid_voice_get_id (voice) == id))
+    if (fluid_voice_is_on(voice) && (fluid_voice_get_id (voice) == id))
       fluid_voice_noteoff(voice);
   }
 }
diff --git a/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.c b/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.c
index 0d1138ae..b919b253 100644
--- a/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.c
+++ b/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.c
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ fluid_voice_init(fluid_voice_t* voice, fluid_sample_t* sample,
 int 
 fluid_voice_set_output_rate(fluid_voice_t* voice, fluid_real_t value)
 {
-  if (_PLAYING(voice))
+  if (fluid_voice_is_playing(voice))
     fluid_voice_off(voice);
   
   voice->output_rate = value;
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ fluid_voice_write (fluid_voice_t* voice, fluid_real_t *dsp_buf)
   if (result == -1)
     return 0;
 
-  if ((result < FLUID_BUFSIZE) && _PLAYING(voice)) /* Voice finished by itself */
+  if ((result < FLUID_BUFSIZE) && fluid_voice_is_playing(voice)) /* Voice finished by itself */
     fluid_voice_off(voice);
 
   return result;
@@ -1199,6 +1199,8 @@ fluid_voice_release(fluid_voice_t* voice)
 
 /*
  * fluid_voice_noteoff
+ * 
+ * Sending a noteoff event will advance the envelopes to section 5 (release).
  */
 int
 fluid_voice_noteoff(fluid_voice_t* voice)
@@ -1243,7 +1245,7 @@ fluid_voice_kill_excl(fluid_voice_t* voice){
 
   unsigned int at_tick;
 
-  if (!_PLAYING(voice)) {
+  if (!fluid_voice_is_playing(voice)) {
     return FLUID_OK;
   }
 
@@ -1399,13 +1401,49 @@ unsigned int fluid_voice_get_id(fluid_voice_t* voice)
 }
 
 /**
- * Check if a voice is still playing.
+ * Check if a voice is producing sound. This is also true after a voice received a noteoff as it may be playing in release phase.
  * @param voice Voice instance
  * @return TRUE if playing, FALSE otherwise
  */
 int fluid_voice_is_playing(fluid_voice_t* voice)
 {
-  return _PLAYING(voice);
+  return  (voice->status == FLUID_VOICE_ON)
+          || fluid_voice_is_sustained(voice)
+          || fluid_voice_is_sostenuto(voice);
+
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if a voice is ON. A voice is ON, if it has not yet received a noteoff event.
+ * @param voice Voice instance
+ * @return TRUE if on, FALSE otherwise
+ * @since 1.1.7
+ */
+int fluid_voice_is_on(fluid_voice_t* voice)
+{
+  return (voice->status == FLUID_VOICE_ON && !voice->has_noteoff);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if a voice is sustained.
+ * @param voice Voice instance
+ * @return TRUE if sustained, FALSE otherwise
+ * @since 1.1.7
+ */
+int fluid_voice_is_sustained(fluid_voice_t* voice)
+{
+  return (voice->status == FLUID_VOICE_SUSTAINED);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if a voice is held by sostenuto.
+ * @param voice Voice instance
+ * @return TRUE if sostenuto, FALSE otherwise
+ * @since 1.1.7
+ */
+int fluid_voice_is_sostenuto(fluid_voice_t* voice)
+{
+  return (voice->status == FLUID_VOICE_HELD_BY_SOSTENUTO);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1628,7 +1666,7 @@ fluid_voice_get_overflow_prio(fluid_voice_t* voice,
   } else if (voice->has_noteoff) {
     /* Noteoff has */
     this_voice_prio += score->released;
-  } else if (_SUSTAINED(voice) || _HELD_BY_SOSTENUTO(voice)) {
+  } else if (fluid_voice_is_sustained(voice) || fluid_voice_is_sostenuto(voice)) {
     /* This voice is still active, since the sustain pedal is held down.
      * Consider it less important than non-sustained channels.
      * This decision is somehow subjective. But usually the sustain pedal
diff --git a/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.h b/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.h
index 4474d9a4..6bf523b2 100644
--- a/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.h
+++ b/fluidsynth/src/synth/fluid_voice.h
@@ -183,19 +183,6 @@ fluid_voice_unlock_rvoice(fluid_voice_t* voice)
   voice->can_access_rvoice = 1;
 }
 
-
-#define fluid_voice_set_id(_voice, _id)  { (_voice)->id = (_id); }
-
-#define _PLAYING(voice)  (((voice)->status == FLUID_VOICE_ON) || \
-                                           _SUSTAINED(voice)  || \
-                                           _HELD_BY_SOSTENUTO(voice) )
-
-/* A voice is 'ON', if it has not yet received a noteoff
- * event. Sending a noteoff event will advance the envelopes to
- * section 5 (release). */
-#define _ON(voice)  ((voice)->status == FLUID_VOICE_ON && !voice->has_noteoff)
-#define _SUSTAINED(voice)  ((voice)->status == FLUID_VOICE_SUSTAINED)
-#define _HELD_BY_SOSTENUTO(voice)  ((voice)->status == FLUID_VOICE_HELD_BY_SOSTENUTO)
 #define _AVAILABLE(voice)  ((voice)->can_access_rvoice && \
  (((voice)->status == FLUID_VOICE_CLEAN) || ((voice)->status == FLUID_VOICE_OFF)))
 //#define _RELEASED(voice)  ((voice)->chan == NO_CHANNEL)