Notepad 2012 will not read musx files. However, if you export  a file from 2014 as a Finale 2012 file (Under File > Export > Finale 2012), that should be readable in Notepad 2012

What else is possible to do with my musx files. My choir has downloaded Notepad 2012 and I am using Finale 2014.5 land now we are not on the same planet??

Hello Yvonne,

You are correct that files you made in 2014.5 "are not on the same planet" as the files that can be used in 2012, but if your choir is using Notepad 2012, then exporting your .musx files as .mus files will be the best way for all of them to have your file.

To do that, open your file in Finale 2014.5 and go into the menu File > Export > Finale 2012. Then you can send the .mus you just made (note that the file extension has changed from .musx to .mus.) to all of your choir members and they should have no problem at all reading it. Hope that helps! 

Which product should the choir use to be able to listen to their parts from my finale 2014.5 since they can't use Notepad??

Yvonne Liss,

From version 2014.5 you can export your .musx document as a version 2012 .mus document.

The choir can use NotePad 2012 to open and play back the version 2012 .mus document.

Both methods should work—export as .mus or as MusicXML. You should probably try both ways to see if there's any difference. I suspect that .mus will be easier.

http://www.finalemusic.com/products/compare-finale-products/

On the recipient side, .mus files are opened; .xml files must be imported. 

Any features introduced in 2014/2014.5 will not be visible in 2012 (any version). Hopefully, this won't be an issue.