If it helps, the keyboard I'm using is a Kurzweil 2500x.  I am using a hp pc with Windows 7.  I also have access to an ipad.

The iPad won't do you any good. Neither will NotePad.

I suggest you download the demo of PrintMusic, and see if that responds the way you need it to.

Hi Mike,

Thanks.  I just tried Print Music and I don't see a way to adjust the tempo while it's playing.  I can change volume, pan, mute, etc., but I don't see tempo.  Do you know of a way to do it?  If so, can you specify?

Thanks.

Kurt

Sorry, but I don't know enough about it to help any further.

i will say, though, that in my many years of singing with choirs, we followed the accompanist, not the other way around. If there was taped music, we learned to sing to it.

Perhaps you should sit down with the director, and work out the tempi beforehand. There are a couple of programs that I know of: Sweet MIDI Player, and Amazing Slow Downer, that allow you to adjust the tempo while they are playing, but I don't know if they would be responsive enoughfor you.

You might post your question over at finaleforum.com, and see if anybody there can help.

You are asking an elementary notation program to do what you would at least need a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) to accomplish. Although they can produce reasonable audio simulations (with sufficient tweaking), Finale notation products are not designed for live performance.

KS,

You didn't mention what OS you're using, but if you're using a Mac, Mainstage by Apple is a program specifically designed for live performance.

 >I am using a hp pc with Windows 7<

>Mainstage by Apple is a program specifically designed for live performance.<

That was my first thought, too. Unfortunately, there is no MainStage equivalent in Windows that I know. MainStage is $29.95 by itself or $199.95 to the EDU market as part of the Pro Apps Bundle (MainStage, Logic, Final Cut and a couple of others). You do need a Mac, however.

https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/product/BMGE2Z/A/pro-apps-bundle-for-education

Otherwise, as has already been suggested, you are limited to using a DAW (with all of the work that involves to vary tempos in real time) or having the choir follow the accompaniment as is normally done in these situations.

Oh, to be clear, if you have no other way to sync with a conductor except for visual cues, it will be a major pain to make a MIDI accompaniment follow in real time. Sync'ing to a drummer is relatively easy with rehearsal.

Thanks Everyone.

I do have access to an iPad, but not a Macbook Pro.  Maybe I can find something that would adjust tempo to a recording.  Then I could play the piece via midi and record it to Wave or MP3, etc. and adjust the tempo during playback.  I know they could just follow the recording, but that's not optimal.  Accompaniments are supposed to follow the performer (or director in this case).

My search continues, but thanks for the help!

Kurt

If you find a solution, let us know and how you use it.

I just tried Music Speed Changer (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smp.musicspeed&hl=en) and it seems to do a pretty good job of real-time tempo change of recorded music (mp3, wave, etc.).  I haven't tried it in the accompaniment context yet, but it might work.  It adjusts the tempo by percent.  That makes sense, but in my context it would be better if I could adjust the tempo by tapping rather than having to guess the change percentage.  I'll try to let you all know what happens when put into practice.