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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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Whispers from above

Experience of Christ General

New Songs49
1
There are times and times again,
When my love seems far away;
The hours would stretch, the days turn gray;
All the while, I know not how,
In my darkest hour, He prays
In the saints, oh, for my sake.
 
By a touch of His dear love,
By the sound of His sweet voice,
Whispers from above,
Spoken through men of clay.
And this world just fades away.
(Let this world just fade away.)
2
Blinded soul, I cannot see
What this world has done to me;
My heart grows cold and life would bleed;
Then He comes, knocks on my door,
Through the saints—and there they stand
With the Lord, oh, for my need!

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Matthew Tiu

Cebu, Philippines

Nov 10, 2008

Among all the other songs that we have, I like this the most... Not only because of the intensity of the words, but because of how it touches me. I had just journeyed through a valley of the shadow of death [WITH MY SHEPHERD] because He restored my soul (Ps. 23).

I couldn't turn to anyone else but God. This song reminded me to press on, and just let this world fade away. Praise the Lord for love, mercy and grace.

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dina

San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States

Oct 21, 2008

Praise Him sister for your comment on this song...you really encourage me... and by the way I also like this song...LET THIS WORLD JUST FADE AWAY.

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Gloria Liu

Hamilton, New Zealand

Sep 19, 2008

Amen! This is a really nice song! Although I hear it so often in our highschool meetings, i can never get sick of it!

I really enjoyed the second verse:

"Blinded soul, I cannot see" O Lord! but we have the saints and the wonderful church life!

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Ariel Ting

Hamilton, New Zealand

Jul 31, 2008

I love this song! i sing it so often now, because it can apply to my daily life so often! Thank You Lord for Your Love, Your sweet voice.

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Bob

Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Apr 4, 2008

Nice Song. Certainly expresses our common misfortune of not 'feeling' the Lord is near.

I was touched by the line in the song, "In my darkest hour, He prays." and by the fellowship above from Filip about Christ praying as our High Priest

Here are some verses that support this:

Romans 8:26 Moreover, in like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

Romans 8:34, "Who is he who condemns, it is Christ Jesus who died and. rather, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who intercedes for us

Revelation 8:3, "And Another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense was given to Him to offer with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne."

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Filip S. Syrek

Reading, United Kingdom

Jan 22, 2003

The depths of the love of God can only be experienced in the Body of Christ - among those who are interceding for and are shepherding each other... Christ is caring for us directly through His Body, directly through His members... He is the Body and the Body is Christ according to 1 Cor. 12:12... I had the knowledge, the revelation of this outstanding truth but I lacked in the experience... Not till recently I've tasted such a deep and loving care of the Lord in His Body... As all of us, I also have certain situation in my life that brings with it immeasurable amount of pain and distress... But the Lord is not indifferent! He is praying for me as my High Priest bringing the incense of the prayer according to God's economy to the Father... What is sweeter than knowing that there are some saints who are praying within the Lord's prayer according to the perfect will of God for the situation of mine? If I cannot see my real condition because I am blinded by the circumstances those saints can stand with me and offer the best possible help - the prayer according to God's heart, God's will, God's way and God's timing so that He will get the ultimate benefit and His perfect will will be satisfied. I begin to see that the whispers from above are being uttered through those dear ones who care for other members and bring them and their situations to the Lord... May He grant all of us the Father's loving heart to become one with Him in His heavenly ministry for the fulfillment of God's eternal economy... Thank You saints! I love you all...

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Joy Kim

Fullerton, CA, U.S.A.

Dec 12, 2002

I like this song because it really reminds me to pray for others.

We've all had those times when we just feel dry and we can't seem to get to the Lord. We even forget about Him sometimes because we're so busy with other things.

At those times when we can't make it on our own, it's a great comfort to know that the Lord is praying for us!

How does He pray for us? Through the saints.

The other members of the Body become instruments of prayer for the Lord to gain us back. The Lord will knock on the door of our hearts through these men of clay. When we open the door, the saints are standing there with the Lord for our sake!

Hallelujah! Praise Him for intercessory prayer!

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