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About Numbered Notation

All steps
  1. The numbers are the notes of a scale
  2. “1=C” tells you where to start
  3. Dots make a note higher or lower
  4. How long each note lasts
  5. 0 means rest
  6. Bar lines and the time signature
  7. Curves: ties and slurs
  8. The words sit under the numbers
  9. Repeat signs and 1. 2. endings
  10. Minor keys: “6=A”
  11. Put it together: a line of a hymn
  12. Check yourself
  13. Try it on a hymn

The numbers are the notes of a scale

Numbered notation (jianpu, 简谱) writes a melody as numbers instead of notes on a staff. You do not need to read music: take one small step at a time and press Play on any example to hear it while each number lights up. Sound only starts when you press Play.

Instead of notes on a staff, each note is a number from 1 to 7. They are the seven steps of the scale you already know: do re mi fa sol la ti. After 7 the scale starts again at 1.

The seven numbers with their names. Press Play and say each name as its number lights up.
Sing along: do re mi fa sol, and back down to do.

If you can sing do re mi, you can already sing every number from 1 to 7. Tap or click any number to hear just that note.

“1=C” tells you where to start

At the top left of the sheet you will see something like 1=C. It means the number 1 (do) is the note C, and every other number counts up from there. 1=G means do is G, so the whole tune sits a little higher. Nothing else changes: the same numbers make the same shape, only higher or lower.

1=C: do is C.
1=G: the same numbers, starting higher.

Not sure where C is? On a piano it is the white key just left of the two black keys. Or ignore the letter and start on any note that is comfortable for your voice: the tune only has to keep its shape. The − and + key buttons on a hymn page shift the key for you.

Dots make a note higher or lower

A dot above a number means one octave higher. A dot below means one octave lower. Two dots mean two octaves. No dot is the middle range, where most of a tune lives. The name stays the same; only the height changes.

The same number at three heights: dot below, no dot, dot above.
A tune that climbs: it starts on a low sol and ends on a high do.

How long each note lasts

Tap your foot at a steady pace: each tap is a beat. A plain number lasts one beat, so you sing a new number on every tap. Dashes, lines and dots change that.

A plain number is one beat

Four numbers, four beats: one number for each tap.

A dash holds the note longer

Each dash adds one beat. The 5 lasts two beats and the 3 lasts four.

A line underneath makes it shorter

One line is half a beat, so two underlined numbers share one beat. (Two lines are a quarter of a beat.)

A dot after makes it half as long again

A dot after a number adds half its length. The first 5 lasts a beat and a half, and the short 3 fills the rest of the second beat.

0 means rest

A 0 is silence for one beat. Keep counting and keep tapping, but do not sing. Dashes after a 0 make the silence longer, just as they hold a note longer.

Sing 1 3 5, stay quiet for one beat, then come back down. Rests light up too, so you can feel the pause.

Bar lines and the time signature

Tall lines cut the music into bars, each holding the same number of beats. The two small numbers at the start, like 4/4 or 3/4, say how many: 4/4 is four beats in every bar, 3/4 is three. The first beat of each bar is the strongest, so lean on it a little. A double line with a thick edge marks the end.

4/4: count 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4. The first beat of each bar sounds a little louder.
3/4: count 1 2 3, 1 2 3, the lilt of a waltz.

Curves: ties and slurs

A curve over numbers joins them. If it joins two of the same number, it is a tie: sing the note once and hold it for both. If it joins different numbers, it is a slur: sing them all on one syllable, gliding from one to the next.

A tie: the 5 is sung once and held across the bar line, six beats in all.
A slur: “Him” is sung on two notes, 3 then 2.

The words sit under the numbers

Each number gets one syllable, written right underneath it. A short dash after part of a word means the word carries on under the next number. If a number has nothing under it, it belongs to a curve or a dash: keep singing the syllable you are on.

Read left to right, one syllable for each number: Twin-kle, twin-kle, lit-tle star.

Repeat signs and 1. 2. endings

A bar line with two dots, :|, means go back and sing that part again, from the matching |: sign (or from the start if there is none). Sometimes the repeat has two endings. Sing ending 1. the first time; on the repeat, skip it and sing ending 2. instead.

Play it: you hear the 1. ending, the repeat, then the 2. ending. Watch the highlight jump back.

Minor keys: “6=A”

A song in a minor key, which usually sounds more serious or tender, is labeled like 6=A instead of 1=C. It means the number 6 (la) is the home note, here A. The numbers keep their usual names; the tune simply feels at home on 6 and often ends there. 6=A uses the same notes as 1=C.

It starts and ends on 6 (la), the home note. Listen to the darker colour.

Put it together: a line of a hymn

This is the first line of hymn 8, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow”, written in numbered notation. Try the slow tempo first, and sing the words as each number lights up.

1=G in 4/4. Three silent beats, then “Praise” on beat 4. The dots under 7, 6 and 5 mean those notes dip one octave lower.

Check yourself

Four quick questions, with no score and no pressure. Tap an answer to see right away why it is right or wrong. You can always try another answer.

Tap the number that is held the longest.

Tap the 5 that is one octave higher than the first 5.

What does a 0 mean?

Under 1=G, which note is the number 1?

Try it on a hymn

You opened this from a hymn that has a Numbered view, so you can try it right now.

  1. Look at the top left of the sheet: the key, such as 1=D, and the time signature, such as 3/4.
  2. Find the first number and sing it. Then follow the numbers from left to right with the words underneath, one syllable for each number. Press Play in the player to hear the recording while you follow.
  3. Letters above the numbers (C, G7) are chords for a guitarist or pianist. Ignore them while you learn the tune.
  4. To be guided, open the Learn tab and press Play. Under Display, set Learn notation to Numbered (or choose Numbered on the Lead Sheet tab first). For hymns that have numbered lines, each line of numbers scrolls into view in time with the recording while a bouncing ball follows the words; other hymns show the piano notation there. The Speed menu slows it down.

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O how nigh the Lord is unto all who call on Him

Praise of the Lord His Name

English1083
1
O how nigh the Lord is unto all who call on Him!
When we call, His very presence strengthens us within.
Seeking Jesus, He is found, and calling, He is near—
O what a comfort to our hearts to call His name so dear!
 
Jesus! O what a name!
O Lord Jesus! Life-giving name!
Name victorious, name all-glorious,
Name exalted—O what a name!
Jesus! Strengthening name!
O Lord Jesus! Comforting name!
Name to breathe in prayer, calling everywhere,
“O Lord Jesus!” O what a name!
2
Call upon the name of Jesus, and you will be saved,
O Lord Jesus, hallelujah, nevermore enslaved!
We may take salvation’s cup by calling on the Lord;
Salvation from a host of things does His dear name afford.
3
To the Lord, the Jew, the Greek and everyone’s the same;
He is rich unto all men that call upon His name.
O Lord Jesus, what a joy to call and really live;
When breathing in Thy name, what pleasure Thou
to us dost give.
4
In the God of our salvation we may take delight,
Calling on His name at all times, though in bliss or blight.
I will call upon His name as long as I shall live,
Because He has inclined His ear, and grace so full does give.
5
We will call upon the Lord, who’s worthy of our praise;
Thus our grateful hearts in worship we to Him may raise.
We are those who call upon His name in every place
With all the saints who from a pure heart call and taste His grace.

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Andrea

Tacoma, WA, United States

Aug 16, 2026

Lord, Save Us More Today, Save us from everything that doesn’t match You, Save us fully and Again into Your Glorious, Faithful, Overcoming Name!!

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Wendy

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Mar 24, 2026

A discovery in finding a voice over a very solemn breakfast time. Thank you to Margaret!

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Jacqueline Knapp

Irvine, California, United States

Dec 1, 2025

Oh Lord Jesus! Praise You for Your marvelous, life-giving, saving, life-dispensing name! Name above all names!

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Philip

Spokane, WA, United States

Nov 23, 2025

"And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ”" (Acts 2:21) Recovery Version

213a saved  -  Acts 2:47; 4:12; 15:11; 16:31

This is the conclusion of the quotation of Joel’s prophecy, which began in v. 17, indicating that the issue of God’s pouring out of His Spirit upon all flesh is their salvation through calling on the name of the Lord. God’s outpouring of His Spirit is the applying of the Lord’s salvation to His chosen people. To be saved is to receive this Spirit, who is the blessing of the gospel in God’s New Testament economy (Gal. 3:2, 5, 14). This Spirit is the Lord Himself as the breath (John 20:22) and the living water (John 4:10, 14) to us. To breathe Him in as our breath and drink Him as our living water, we need to call on Him. Lamentations 3:55-56 indicates that our calling on the Lord is our breathing, and Isa. 12:3-4 indicates that our calling on the Lord is our drinking. After we believe in the Lord, we need to call on Him that we may not only be saved but also enjoy His riches (Rom. 10:12-13). When we exercise our spirit to call on Him, breathe Him in, and drink Him, we enjoy His riches; this is the real worship to God. The Lord connected such worship (John 4:24) to the drinking of the living water given by Him (John 4:14)

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all and rich to all who call upon Him;" (Romans 10:12) Recovery Version

"For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ”" (Romans 10:13) Recovery Version

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Selene Hernandez

Fort Stockton, Texas, United States

Aug 26, 2025

Lord praise You for Your sanctified name! Praise You for giving us Your name!! We love You and we can enjoy Your name everywhere, what a privilege!

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Iris Tong

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Aug 22, 2025

O Lord Jesus, O what a name! His name is victorious, His name is glorious, His name is exalted! His name strengthens, His name comfort, His name is breathed in prayers, calling everywhere. He is so rich to those who call upon His name out of a pure heart everywhere. Thank you Lord, you are recovering our practices today to call upon Your name, to breathe in Your dearself.

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Un Hermano

Jun 26, 2025

Practiced by

New Testament Believers

[Calling on the name of the Lord was practiced by the New Testament believers beginning on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:21). While Stephen was being stoned to death, he was calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 7:59). The New Testament believers practiced calling on the Lord (Acts 9:14; 22:16; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:22). Saul of Tarsus received authority from the chief priests to bind all that called on the name of the Lord (Acts 9:14). This indicated that all the early saints were Jesus-callers. Their calling on the name of the Lord was a sign, a mark, that they were Christians. If we become those who call on the name of the Lord, our calling will mark us out as Christians.

Paul the apostle stressed the matter of calling when he wrote the book of Romans. He said, “For there is no difference between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord of all is rich to all who call upon Him. For, Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom 10:12-13). Paul also spoke of calling on the Lord in 1 Corinthians when he wrote the words, “with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours” (1 Cor. 1:2). Furthermore, in 2 Timothy he told Timothy to pursue spiritual things with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22). By all of these verses we can see that in the first century the Christians practiced calling on the name of the Lord very much. Therefore, throughout the Old Testament as well as in the early days of the Christian age, the saints called on the Lord’s name. How regrettable that it has been neglected by most Christians for so long a time. We believe that today the Lord wants to recover calling on His name and to have us practice it so that we may enjoy the riches of His life. ]

A Lesson Book, Level 4:

Knowing and Experiencing Life

Lesson 20 (LSM)

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Maria L

Fremont, California, United States

Jan 2, 2025

Hallelujah! He is now the Spirit, and as the Spirit, He is living, real, and rich to all who call on the name of the Lord. "Oh Lord Jesus!" 😀

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David Frimpong

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Oct 2, 2024

Haven’t sang this song in a few years then remembered it!! Gave me so much joy!! When we call on Him, He comes to us as the Spirit, and we enjoy His riches and everything Christ is. Everything we ever need is contained in His name!! O LORD JESUS!!

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Vanessa

Tampa, Fl, United States

Jan 28, 2024

Oh Lord Jesus! What a name!

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