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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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Jesus, Savior, pilot me

Longings For Christ’s Leading

English392
1
Jesus, Savior, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal;
Chart and compass come from Thee;
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
2
As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boist’rous waves obey Thy will
When Thou say’st to them, “Be still.”
Wondrous Sov’reign of the sea,
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
3
Though death’s valley I may pass,
Still Thy grace will fear surpass;
In Thy presence I will rest,
And, while leaning on Thy breast,
I will hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”

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Ana Lara

Storrs, Connecticut, United States

Jun 25, 2024

In 1870 Edward Hopper became the pastor of a small church in New York Harbor known as The Church of Sea and Land. Hopper‘s father was a merchant in the area, and his mother was a descendant of the persecuted French Huguenots. Many who attended the service were sailors who passed through the harbor. Edward enjoyed getting to know the sailors traveling through New York and from all over the world and sought to minister to their needs. Using language they could understand and relate to, Edward composed this hymn specifically for them, but also for anyone seeking to find comfort and peace in their lives. Sometimes known as the “Sailor’s Hymn.” He wrote other hymns but this one is the most remembered. The theme of the text comes from Matthew 8:23-27, where we read how Jesus calmed the raging Sea of Galilee.

Major D. W. Whittle told the following incident in connection with hymn: “I went with General Howard to hold meetings for the soldiers at Tampa, Florida, and one day while going through the camp, I found a young man dying of a fever. I kneeled by his side and asked him if he was a Christian. He replied that he was not, but he asked me to pray for him. I did so, though he did not give his heart to Jesus at that time. I went away with a sorrowing heart and promised to return another day. Two days later, I visited him again and, praying with him once more, the Lord put it into my heart to sing, ‘Jesus, Savior, pilot me.’ The dying man said: ‘Oh, that sounds good; it puts me in mind of my beloved sister in Michigan, who used to sing this hymn for me before I entered the army.’ He wanted me to repeat it over and over again for him and finally, he asked: ‘Will Jesus be my pilot into the heaven of rest?’ I told the young man that Jesus would. ‘Then,’ he said, ‘I will trust Him with all my heart.’

The next day I called to see him again, but his comrade said: ‘he passed away during the night.’” (L. Codington)

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“Memaw”

Hag., MD, United States

Dec 7, 2023

“…troubled on every side,
yet not distressed;
perplexed, but not forsaken;
persecuted, but not in despair
cast down not destroyed…”
-II. Corinthians 4. 8 - 11

Happily an humbly, I submit, in Jesus’s name; bc, i’m saved and sanctified the Bible way; he’s my elder brother, his Father is my Father and am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ ~sisteregina k

🧕🏻

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Ssimbwa Julius

Mityana, Uganda

Jun 4, 2023

Wow so fantastic song

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Richard Hochella

Fort Pierce, Fla., United States

Feb 24, 2021

Amen to the words of hymn Jesus Savior. , pilot me.

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Stephanie Smith

Wharton, Texas, United States

Mar 23, 2020

What a comforting song in our times of distress. Jesus, Savior, pilot me. Thank you and God bless you all for this service.

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Dr. James Mbuva

Moreno Valley, CA, United States

Mar 21, 2020

This song has blessed me today. I sang it with my KICC Prayer Team, and the Lord touched me in that I should not fear the Coronavirus and other ills befalling us today, for Jesus Christ will pilot me. Yes, Jesus will pilot His Church, he will pilot the nations of the world, he will pilot president Trump and all the presidents and the monarchs of the world. Lord Jesus, we hide under your protective wings. Indeed, this Coronavirus plague has come as a judgment upon the earth. The reason because of disobedience and abandonment of worshiping and serving the living God. Lord, I repent my sin and the sins of my fathers, yes, the sins of the nations. Create in us a clean heart, and let the hearts of your people be broken and become contrite, for this is the sacrifice you desire (Psalm 51). We pray that we will hear us say to all of your people today, "Fear not I will pilot thee." Amen!

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Bárbara Q

La Paz, Bolivia

Apr 4, 2019

Cuánto me constriñe este himno. Señor Jesús revela tu corazón a tu iglesia, tu obra maestra!! Gracias porque somos tu satisfacción, tu alegría, gracias porque me elegiste ser parte de Tu plan!

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Steve Miller

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Nov 19, 2015

"As I understand it, this hymn was written especially for sailors. You can almost feel the stroke of the oars and the roll of the sea as a shipwrecked crew tries to make it safely to land. The appeal of this song, however, could no more be limited to sailors than, say, 'The Ninety and Nine' could be limited to shepherds. The message is for everyone. 'Jesus, Savior, pilot me over life's tempestuous sea ...' Life is a stiff voyage through a storm - so help me, Jesus, pilot me, take hold of my ship. With you to guide me ... I'll make it." - Tennessee Ernie Ford (1919-91)

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Steve Miller

Detroit, MI, United States

Oct 10, 2014

Born in New York City, Hopper became a Presbyterian minister. After pastoring 2 Presbyterian churches in New York, he pastored a small church [Church of Sea and Land] in the New York harbor, ministering to many sailors. It was while he was there that he wrote this hymn anonymously. When asked to write a hymn for the Seamen's Friend Society, he instead read this already published hymn. It was then that the people, who already knew this song, became aware of its author. - Songs of the Spirit by Martin

-------------------

There are additional stanzas between stanzas 1 & 2 above:

2. While th’Apostles’ fragile bark
Struggled with the billows dark,
On the stormy Galilee,
Thou didst walk upon the sea;
And when they beheld Thy form,
Safe they glided through the storm.
-----------

3. Though the sea be smooth and bright,
Sparkling with the stars of night,
And my ship’s path be ablaze
With the light of halcyon days,
Still I know my need of Thee;
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.
-----------

4. When the darkling heavens frown,
And the wrathful winds come down,
And the fierce waves, tossed on high,
Lash themselves against the sky,
Jesus, Savior, pilot me,
Over life’s tempestuous sea.
-----------
The original last stanza is different:
When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
’Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”
---------------------

Major D. W. Whit­tle told me the fol­low­ing in­ci­dent in con­nec­tion with this hymn: “I went with Gen­er­al O. O. How­ard to hold meet­ings for the sol­diers at Tam­pa, Flor­i­da, and one day while go­ing through the camp I found a young man dy­ing of fe­ver. I knelt by his side and asked him if he was a Christ­ian. He re­plied that he was not, but said that his fa­ther and mo­ther were Christ­ians; and he asked me to pray for him. I did so, but no deep im­pres­sion was made up­on his heart. I went away with a sor­row­ing heart and prom­ised to re­turn ano­ther day. Two days lat­er I vi­sit­ed him again and, pray­ing with him, the Lord put in­to my mind to sing, ‘Je­sus, Sav­iour, pi­lot me.’ The dy­ing sol­dier said: ‘Oh, that sounds good; it puts me in mind of my be­lov­ed sis­ter in Mi­chi­gan, who used to sing this hymn for me be­fore I en­tered the ar­my.’ He want­ed me to re­peat it over and over again for him, and fi­nal­ly he asked: ‘Will Je­sus be my pi­lot in­to the ha­ven of rest?’ I told the young man that Je­sus would. ‘Then,’ he said, ‘I will trust him with all my heart.’ The next day I called to see him again, but his com­rade said: ‘He passed away dur­ing the night.’” - Story of Gospel Hymns by Ira Sankey

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Anonymous

Dec 10, 2003

Jesus, Saviour, pilot me... as the fear grows within me while I saw downwards when floating on the ocean deep, I have a way...a Pilot, a Jesus & Saviour in me!!!

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