diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageSound.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageSound.cpp
index e0ec4f2ade..9de9beed7e 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageSound.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageSound.cpp
@@ -350,8 +350,6 @@ void RageSound::StartPlaying()
 
 	m_bPlaying = true;
 
-	if( !m_Param.m_bIsCriticalSound && SOUNDMAN->GetPlayOnlyCriticalSounds() )
-		m_Param.m_Volume = 0;
 	ApplyParams();
 
 	/* Don't lock while calling SOUNDMAN driver calls. */
@@ -586,6 +584,8 @@ void RageSound::ApplyParams()
 	m_pSource->SetProperty( "FadeSeconds", m_Param.m_fFadeOutSeconds );
 
 	float fVolume = m_Param.m_Volume * SOUNDMAN->GetMixVolume();
+	if( !m_Param.m_bIsCriticalSound )
+		fVolume *= SOUNDMAN->GetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds();
 	m_pSource->SetProperty( "Volume", fVolume );
 
 	switch( GetStopMode() )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp
index 832b4233fc..04727ece97 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ RageSoundManager *SOUNDMAN = NULL;
 RageSoundManager::RageSoundManager()
 {
 	m_fMixVolume = 1.0f;
-	m_bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds = false;
+	m_fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds = 1.0f;
 }
 
 static LocalizedString COULDNT_FIND_SOUND_DRIVER( "RageSoundManager", "Couldn't find a sound driver that works" );
@@ -187,11 +187,11 @@ void RageSoundManager::SetMixVolume( float fMixVol )
 	g_SoundManMutex.Unlock(); /* finished with m_fMixVolume */
 }
 
-void RageSoundManager::SetPlayOnlyCriticalSounds( bool bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds )
+void RageSoundManager::SetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds( float fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds )
 {
-	g_SoundManMutex.Lock(); /* lock for access to m_bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds */
-	m_bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds = bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds;
-	g_SoundManMutex.Unlock(); /* finished with m_bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds */
+	g_SoundManMutex.Lock(); /* lock for access to m_fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds */
+	m_fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds = fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds;
+	g_SoundManMutex.Unlock(); /* finished with m_fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds */
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.h b/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.h
index e4a12c6436..31e1303191 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageSoundManager.h
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ public:
 
 	float GetMixVolume() const { return m_fMixVolume; }
 	void SetMixVolume( float fMixVol );
-	bool GetPlayOnlyCriticalSounds() const { return m_bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds; }
-	void SetPlayOnlyCriticalSounds( bool bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds );
+	float GetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds() const { return m_fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds; }
+	void SetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds( float fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds );
 
 	void Update();
 	void StartMixing( RageSoundBase *snd );	/* used by RageSound */
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ private:
 
 	/* Prefs: */
 	float m_fMixVolume;
-	bool m_bPlayOnlyCriticalSounds;
+	float m_fVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds;
 };
 
 extern RageSoundManager *SOUNDMAN;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenAttract.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenAttract.cpp
index 2a567af349..e29280603f 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenAttract.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenAttract.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ ScreenAttract::ScreenAttract( bool bResetGameState )
 
 void ScreenAttract::Init()
 {
-	SOUNDMAN->SetPlayOnlyCriticalSounds( !GAMESTATE->IsTimeToPlayAttractSounds() );	// mute attract sounds
+	if( GAMESTATE->IsTimeToPlayAttractSounds() )
+		SOUNDMAN->SetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds( 1.0f );  // unmute attract sounds
+	else
+		SOUNDMAN->SetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds( 0.0f );  // mute attract sounds
 
 	GAMESTATE->VisitAttractScreen( m_sName );
 
@@ -71,7 +74,7 @@ void ScreenAttract::AttractInput( const InputEventPlus &input, ScreenWithMenuEle
 			if( input.MenuI != MENU_BUTTON_COIN )
 				SCREENMAN->PlayCoinSound();
 			
-			SOUNDMAN->SetPlayOnlyCriticalSounds( false );	// unmute attract sounds
+			SOUNDMAN->SetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds( 1.0f );	// unmute attract sounds
 			pScreen->Cancel( SM_GoToStartScreen );
 			break;
 		default:
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenDemonstration.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenDemonstration.cpp
index 74b4920d3f..507dcc1a0c 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenDemonstration.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenDemonstration.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ REGISTER_SCREEN_CLASS( ScreenDemonstration );
 ScreenDemonstration::ScreenDemonstration()
 {
 	m_bDemonstration = true;
-	SOUNDMAN->SetPlayOnlyCriticalSounds( !GAMESTATE->IsTimeToPlayAttractSounds() );  // mute attract sounds
+	if( GAMESTATE->IsTimeToPlayAttractSounds() )
+		SOUNDMAN->SetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds( 1.0f );  // unmute attract sounds
+	else
+		SOUNDMAN->SetVolumeOfNonCriticalSounds( 0.0f );  // mute attract sounds
 }
 
 void ScreenDemonstration::Init()