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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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One day when heaven was filled with His praises

Gospel The Savior

English987
1
One day when heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin—
Dwelt among men, my example is He!
 
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!
2
One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He.
3
One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He.
4
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore.
5
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

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Lois

Perth, WA, Australia

Aug 8, 2017

This is an excellent hymn which suit daily worship as well as breaking of bread meeting on Sunday, the Lord's day and also great hymn for gospel outreach. The depth of this hymn is non-comparable with any modern hymns. Thank you.

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Betsy D Holtsclaw

Mooresville, Indiana, United States

Jul 22, 2017

I go to a wonderful church that blends the old hymns with newer ones. However, my favorites are the old ones, the ones I learned to love when I was a babe in Christ. In my daily devotion, I like to sing them. In my home, alone and with no other distractions, I can sing to the Lord and really "belt 'em out!"

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Michael

Tallinn, Estonia

May 5, 2017

Reading comments I wonder why people stay in a church that doesn't sing the hymns. We have let the camel (Satan) stick his nose in the tent, now he is completely in and Godly people are out. Kick out the drums, the contemporary feel-good, syrupy garbage! I don't let ANY songs in our church that are not in the hymnal - and that includes specials!!

Love the Gospel in this hymn!

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Paul B Priore

Clearwater, Florida, United States

Apr 15, 2017

I so needed to hear this song today. Thanks for being here. The new version with the same words is great, but the hymn is still the best. Brings tears of joy. Happy Easter 2017.

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Jim Cullinan

Dumfries, United Kingdom

Feb 19, 2017

Thanks. It was very enjoyable to sing the hymns with the music provided. Thank you again.

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Jo Anne Eggli

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nov 22, 2016

As a new Christian I remember loving this song for the message it had in it. So I would sing it to my new born son as I would rock him everyday. Because I love him.and wanted him to know God's love too.

He eventually my son would sing that song with me as I rocked him. It wasn't until I accepted Christ as my Savior God would I hear & honor all those prayers that I prayed for four years before I came to ask Christ to save my soul....then I asked him again, 9 months later God gave me the answer to my prayers. My wonderful brilliant son.

I kept singing to him and I would pray with him and have bible study Gods Word together,

i wanted him to know the Love of God, and His scrafice , what he endured to save all of humanity.

This one song covered it all.
The other one was
"At Calvary "...

Those old hymns say more than anything I've heard from today's music...elevate the

words...

"Years I sent in vanity and pride careing not my Lord was crucified.

Knowing not if was for me HE died, at Calvary."

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Mo Schwartz

Pittsburgh, PA, United States

May 30, 2016

Memorial Day "picnic" ...eating inside bc grandma can't go out in the heat...we talked about hymns & I looked this one up on my phone...besides being amazed that I could look this up on my phone...we all...grandma..me..my wife & 3 children sang / listened to all 5 verses..loved having the piano accompanying us...

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Patricia

Maybrook, New York, United States

Mar 26, 2016

One Easter about 50 years ago my pastor, Rev. Beatrice Dodge, had us children sing this as a special. Today, almost 50 years later to the day I thought of the words. Thank God for the Internet. God bless everyone who had a part in uplifting my heart in words, music, and comments. God is so good; what must Heaven be like? Eternal joy, peace, celebration, glory, life, fellowship, ...everything from the heart of love of God. I hope all who read this will know and experience that Jesus made it all possible for those who have made the choice for returning the love in living for God here, that we might live with God there. God be all you need for today and every day!

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Danny Kreiser

Braden, TN, United States

Mar 11, 2016

When God saved me He made me alive from the dead (spiritually) and suddenly these old hymns that formerly seemed dry and meaningless were transformed into living color (2 Cor. 5:17). Now I find there is no need to "doctor" the music, for the words and music already fit perfectly together to make a complete message in song! "Hallelujah! what a Savior! who can take a poor lost sinner, lift him from the miry clay and set him free; I will ever tell the story shouting glory, glory, glory, hallelujah! Jesus ransomed me."

Oh! that others may come to know the living God (John 1:12-13).

My friend, if you have not yet had this experience, then beg God to enable you by his Spirit to receive Christ Jesus the LORD! (Ruler, King or Governor over you Romans 10:13). Ask Him to send you a preacher who knows The Way (Rom.10:14-15).

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Mark Arnold

Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States

Jan 18, 2016

That is a shame! It is a sign of our times. I have no problem with new songs with new lyrics and melodies, we sing them at our church all the time. There are plenty of spirit filled composers of words and music these days. While I won't spend much time criticizing the modern accompaniment I prefer the traditional, mainly without out the drums and electronic amplification. I was having my devotions this morning and my 10 month old son walked over, so I launched into some praise songs as a way of including him and teaching him about Jesus at his young age. The above is one among others that came to mind. I agree that there's no need to change the words to suit modern sensibilities, if people are offended by words like "vile" it just proves the words are true. What are going to do about how Paul describes every one of us in Romans 1?

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