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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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He Hideth My Soul

Assurance and Joy of Salvation A Wonderful Savior

English334
1
A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
 
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.
2
A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.
3
With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And, filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God,
For such a Redeemer as mine!
4
When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
I’ll shout with the millions on high.

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Leigh Powell

United Kingdom

Jul 1, 2018

I still like this hymn of adoration to my protecting saviour. Some time ago I read the following modern hymn.....

Jesus in the Father's Name
From the realm of Heaven came
To this world of sin and shame
And offered love that will never die.
Took on our humanity
Paid the price to set us free
Paved the way to victory
For on the cross He was lifted high!

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Frank Margulis

Medford, NJ, United States

Jun 12, 2018

This hymn is filled with the love of Christ, a wonderful Christ exalting work. It could only be written by someone who loved Him deeply.

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Carol Gann

Ringgold, GA, United States

Jun 8, 2018

I love this beautiful song!

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Nli Devine

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, United States

May 22, 2018

This is so inspiring. Wow.

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Leigh Powell

United Kingdom

Apr 15, 2018

I like this hymn. The psalmist writes 'lead me to the rock that is higher than I'. We all need protecting from difficulty at times, and the protection may come from a rock shielding us from the heat of a battle.

The Lord Jesus is THE rock who is higher (in Heaven) than any of us. He alone can protect us from the burden and consequences of our sin, as Saviour of His people. This hymn speaks much of how wonderful the Lord Jesus is. He can be our salvation rock, higher than we are, from the guilt and punishment of our sin if we repent and believe the gospel.

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

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Osart Jallong

Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

Mar 6, 2018

I love this hymn very much, both its words and its tune. It touches a chord in my soul that, like electricity, connects me to that wonderful world beyond and fills me with a refreshing sense of the kingdom to which I truly belong. O, how wonderful is our Savior and Lord! It is truly amazing that the song was written by this wonderful woman so long ago in Connecticut, USA and I, living in Borneo, learnt it from a YouTube video by the Bessy Choir from North East India! How wonderful is our Savior!

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Levison Mlambya

Mzuzu, Northern, Malawi

Jan 6, 2018

This song makes me to remember the time I was involved in a road accident which claimed many lives. By the grace of God I survived.

Since that day, I am serving God through the NGO, The William Stewart Hope for the Hopeless Foundation - Malawi. He really hideth our souls.

God bless you all as you serve God in different ways!

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Godspower Osanebi

Warri, Delta, Nigeria

Nov 24, 2017

Mama Crosby was awesomely the best in what she chose to become. She touch my life and I am better. I love her especially her hymns, may her soul rest in peace amen.

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Steve Miller

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Oct 29, 2017

Fanny Crosby has written more hymns and supplied our church hymnal with more favorites than any other writer. At least 8,000 gospel texts flowed from the soul of this Godly woman. The story of Fanny's life as she triumphed over the handicap of blindness is most inspiring:

"I was born of humble parents at Southeast, New York. I was blinded for life through improper medical treatment when I was only 6 weeks of age. But I never considered blindness a handicap - rather a blessing and always insisted that blind people can accomplish almost anything that sighted persons can. I lived a normal, happy childhood. People often marveled that I could climb a tree like a squirrel and even ride a horse bareback. I began composing poetry when just a mere child. In fact, I recall writing these lines when I was only 8 years of age:

Oh, what a happy soul am I;
although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
that other people don't;
to weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot, and I won't."

Fanny continued writing poems, but they were always of a secular nature.

"Once I wrote the text for a very popular song titled 'Rosalie, the Prairie Flower.' I can still recall the thrill of receiving a check for $3,000 for this little work."

But one day William Bradbury, a friend who was well known as a gospel musician, confronted her with the challenge - "Fanny, don't you think it's time that you begin writing texts about the Lord - the One you profess to love so well?"

"These words by William Bradbury began to bother me greatly. I had been a Christian for many years and a faithful member of the St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church of New York City. But I was already well into my 40's, and the thought of writing religious verse seemed quite frightening. Yet, you know, spiritual thoughts and words began to flow freely from my heart and soon I was the happiest creature in all the land. Our home became a virtual beehive of activity as my many musician and pastor friends were always dropping in on me and requesting a new text for some special occasion. I can recall the day William Kirkpatrick stopped to see me in our New York home. He and I had worked together on numerous songs in the past."

William said, "Fanny, I've just finished composing a new tune that I thought would make a singable hymn. Now I need some words that would make this tune communicate the idea of confidence - the confidence we can have in God as we place our complete trust in Him."

As William played the tune on the piano, Fanny closed her eyes in prayer as she grasped her Bible. Then her face lit up as the words of this hymn began to flow from her heart.

Fanny Jane Crosby lived to be 95 years of age. In her later years, she was in much demand as a speaker and lecturer throughout the entire country. She usually traveled alone for these engagements and was often introduced with such titles as "the Protestant Saint" and "the most wonderful person living." It was her continual prayer that God would allow her to be used in leading to Christ every individual she contacted. Only eternity will disclose the host of people who have been won to a saving faith in her Lord or the number of lives that have been spiritually enriched through her many hymns.

Engraved on Fanny Crosby's tombstone at Bridgeport, Connecticut, are these significant words taken from our Lord's remarks to Mary after she had anointed Him with costly perfume - SHE HATH DONE WHAT SHE COULD (Mark 14:8). - '52 Hymn Stories Dramatized' by Kenneth W. Osbeck

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Ebube Anthony

Abuja, Nigeria

Oct 28, 2017

This is awesome.

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