Finale Forum

Finale Version 25.4.0.144 (Windows)

The purpose of this post is to highlight the problems with changing the tempo of a movement for midi playback and suggest some fixes.

1. Existing process too involved: To even get to the setting to allow you to change the tempo of a movement in Finale 25, you have to: open Tool menu, select advanced; select midi; open midi menu, check edit tempo (menu closes); reopen midi menu; select set to (after blocking out measures affected). And only then do you get to enter a value.

SOLUTION: create new menu item under "Midi/Audio" called "Change playback tempo." That's the logical place one would look to find a change tempo tool for purposes of midi playback.

2. Process does not retain information before, during and after the process: Existing version does not indicate current tempo marking and does not show new tempo; and blocked out measures disappear when you play back the new tempo; so each time you change tempo, you have to start from scratch. Because there is no indication of current tempo, you have to guess the value needed to speed up or slow down, and hence the current process requires that the new tempo be set by trial and error-- typically taking several reiterations of the process. This is enormously annoying and time consuming,

SOLUTION: Build in indicator of current tempo and retain blocked out measures being changed in the process until the user changes task.

3. Process does not allow changing tempo by movement or measure region: Currently, the only way to set tempo is by measure blocking-- done manually measure by measure. And this has to be repeated for each new tempo setting, which is largely trial and error. So this limitation is not user-friendly and wastes time.

SOLUTION: Allow options for selection of: movements; measure regions; range of specified measures by measure number.

SUMMARY: I know this was unintentional, but one could hardly design a procedure for changing the tempo of a movement that is more clumsy and time-consuming than what is currently in place in Finale 25. This is so basic a tool -- and so necessary -- that it should be a high priority for Finale to streamline.

If Ii have missed any existing functionality in Finale 25,, I'm hoping the moderator or other registered forum members will set me straight. Thanks!

Some people miss the old tempo Tool. Maybe it had some of what you are missing.

Why not just use expressions for tempo changes?

Zuill

SUMMARY: I know this was unintentional, but one could hardly design a procedure for changing the tempo of a movement that is more clumsy and time-consuming than what is currently in place in Finale 25. This is so basic a tool -- and so necessary -- that it should be a high priority for Finale to streamline.

Keep in mind that this is your opinion, only! Personally speaking, it would be at the very bottom of my list.

The new MakeMusic forum now has a way to submit feature requests. You should certainly post there.

I have frequent tempo changes in many of my scores (ranging from three hour operas with full vocal and orchestral forces to brief miniatures for one or two players) and I find making all these changes quick, easy and efficient with tempo mark expressions which are often often just the metronome mark. Sometimes these occur on an almost bar by bar (or even half bar by half bar) basis.

Many things in Finale can seem a trifle convoluted, but for me at least, changing tempo is not one of them.

Good points, I'll check out tempo expressions as a work-around, I will also post on the feature forum, given that the previous midi tempo tool was more flexible. Redundancy has its value, as long as it is itself effective.