Frequently Asked Questions
You need to have a MIDI player (e.g. QuickTime, Windows Media Player) set up for your browser.
Why do I occasionally hear noise or static at the beginning of a song?
This is the result of a bug in QuickTime and can be fixed by changing the MIDI settings in QuickTime. 1. Open the QuickTime player. 2. Go to Edit > Preferences > QuickTime Preferences. 3. Click on the Audio tab and choose "General MIDI" as the Default Music Synthesizer. 4. Click OK and close the player. 5. Restart your browser.
Use the Search feature at the top right corner to find the song. If you cannot find it, it means the song is not available at Hymnal.net.
How come the website is not displayed properly on my browser?
It is highly recommended that you use the latest version of Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer to access this site.
In what format is the music stored?
The music is stored in the MIDI format. For more information about MIDI, visit www.midi.org.
Why don't the notes show up when I print the lyrics in PDF format?
You need to download and install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
How can I obtain the sheet music of a song if it is not made available?
Download the MIDI file of the song. Open it with a music notation software. You can download various music notation software from www.download.com. Print the sheet music using the software.
How do I improve the quality of the music?
Since the music is stored in the MIDI format, the quality of the music playback at Hymnal.net depends very much on the sound card in your computer. A good sound card will produce a realistic piano sound. A wavetable soundcard will typically produce good quality sounds. Alternatively, try a software wavetable synthesizer, which uses your computer's processor to convert a MIDI file into waveform in real time for more realistic sounds.
Can you send all the songs to me?
No.
Hymn codes pertain to an indexed list of tunes in numerical format. The index provides an alternative way of searching for hymns; one that is based on the tune rather than the lyrics, category, author(s), etc.
How do I convert a tune into a hymn code?
Convert the tune into C Major if its original key is in major or into A Minor if its original key is in minor. Convert the notes into a standard numerical format with C equalling 1, C sharp equalling 1#, D flat equalling 2b, D equalling 2, and so forth. Remove all the sharps and flats (# and b) in the numerical tune. Truncate the numerical tune so that it only covers the first line of the lyrics. Some numerical tunes cover up to the second line of the respective lyrics to preserve the uniqueness of the tune for the indexed list.
Hymnal.Net is a non-profit site that generates no income. We serve to provide an avenue for God's children to enjoy the hymns from anywhere and at any time. Hymns on this site are either posted with permission or belong to the public domain. A public domain hymn is a hymn that predates copyright laws, and whose copyright has expired. Materials dated 1922 or earlier are usually in the public domain. If you see a hymn on the site whose copyright is still in force, please kindly notify us and we will remove it immediately. The design of the website is copyrighted and may not be reproduced.