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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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Breathing in the Lord

Fullness of the Spirit As the Breath

New Songs195
1
Breathing in the Lord
Is how we live today.
Not by thinking do we live,
But breathing is the way.
We just call “O Lord!”
From very deep within,
And with joy we testify
We’re breathing in of Him.
Breathe in Christ,
Breathe in Life,
Breathe Him in today!
He’s our very life supply,
So breathe Him right away! (Repeat)
2
He’s so wonderful,
The Breath of Life is He;
Once he simply was a man,
But now He’s breath to me.
He has changed His form;
The Spirit now is He.
He’s the Christ breathed out from God,
The Breath breathed in by me.
Everywhere, everywhere,
Christ is life to me;
I just call upon His name,
And breath comes into me! (Repeat)

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Peter Cassidy

Pearland, Texas, United States

Mar 23, 2025

The tune to this is "Jingle Bells".

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Ian K

Anaheim, CA, United States

May 27, 2024

This is a very deep hymn. Economically speaking, in His relationship with man, God was not always breathable. He had to go through a process in order to breathe Himself as the Spirit into the disciples (John 20:22). The first step of this process was for the Word, which is God since the beginning, to enter into time and put on flesh as the Lord Jesus (John 1:14; Rom. 8:3). At this point, the Spirit was not yet (John 7:39). In what sense was the Spirit "not yet?" It had yet to enter into the believers to flow out as rivers of living water (John 7:38). The Lord Jesus had to be glorified, that is to be killed and raised from the dead (Acts 3:13-15). But praise the Lord that is exactly what happened! He was put to death in the flesh, and made alive in Spirit (1 Pet. 3:18). By His death and resurrection, He has become the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45) who is able to be breathed in by me and by you whenever we call on His name!

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Maurice Ward

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Sep 24, 2022

I'm so glad I found this song. I was struck by this word "testify" in my Bible reading tonight of John 15:26-27.

The Lord said that when the comforter comes that He will testify concerning Him. Then He said you all testify concerning Me because from the beginning you have been with Me.

I said okay, Lord that makes sense. You are one with the Spirit and the disciples were with you so of course they can testify of You. But Lord how can I if I've never seen you?

But Hallelujah He's the breathe of life to me! HE'S IN ME. I am experiencing Him everyday in every place.. This is how I can testify of Him. This is how we can testify of Him.

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Peter Cassidy

Pearland, TX, United States

Sep 1, 2022

"once he was a man" is in contrast to His becoming the "Life-giving Spirit "

It doesn't deny His Divine nature.

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Paula Kirby

Houston, United States

Sep 10, 2020

Oops! “Once he simply was a man”?????

Contrary to basic Christian faith... Not Scriptural.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

Philippians 2:6 [Jesus], who, though He was in the form of God did not regard equality with God something to be exploited....

Genesis: in the beginning God... Revelation: Jesus proclaims I am the beginning and the end...

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Nelson Liu

Irvine, CA, United States

Nov 16, 2017

O Lord!

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Heeju Kim

Los Angeles, California, United States

Nov 5, 2017

I learnt this hymn from small group.

The leading brother told us just to enjoy the Lord while singing this hymn because the tune of this hymn is exactly the same with the worldly hymn. lol

Yet, obviously this hymn really equips me to breath in the Lord❤️

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Chef

United States

Aug 28, 2014

So glad that I found this one result from my Google search:

"Breath by breath we breath the Lord"

that I refer to in my curezone blog: "son of truth of self"!

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Roger Gentry

Phoenix, AZ, United States

Mar 5, 2011

Spokane Supplement 28

1. Breath by breath we breathe the Lord. 
Amen! Amen!
Breath by breath He quickens us. 
Amen! Amen!
Yes, He breathes out and we breathe in,
And deeply flows His life within,
For we’ve all learned how to
deeply breathe the Lord.

2. John 3:8  speaks of the air
without, without;
The wind blows where it wills, it wills,
without, without.
We cannot tell from where it comes,
We cannot tell to where it runs —
So is everyone who’s of the Spirit born.

3. John 20:22  speaks of
the Air within.
Jesus breathed the Breath of Life
from Him, from Him!
He only asks us to receive —
’Tis not to think but only breathe —
And it’s by this breath that we experience life!

4. Now wherever we may be
there’s Air, there’s Air!
It surrounds, envelops us —
it’s everywhere!
Available, so rich and free
That we might live abundantly —
So brothers, sisters, breathe the breath of life.

5. Just by calling on His name:
O Lord! O Lord!
Christ becomes the breath to us:
O Lord! O Lord!
We breathe His name from deep within
And breathe until we’re filled with Him,
And what a breath this Jesus is to us!

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Roger Gentry

Phoenix, AZ, United States

Mar 5, 2011

It's been a long time since I saw this song in print. We used to sing it to the tune of, "Riding through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh, ov'r the fields we go, laughing all the way...."

Anyway, it's a wonderful song and I love the words. There is another song like it, "Breath by breath we breathe the Lord, amen, amen......................................... It can be found in the Spokane Supplement

May the Lord bless you all.

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