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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 Tempo menu slows it down without changing the pitch.

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Jesus, lover of my soul

Gospel Crying to the Lord

New Tunes1057
1
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high:
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.
2
Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, oh, leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.
3
Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
Vile and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.
4
Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.

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Stephen Bellingham

Irvine, CA, United States

Aug 8, 2026

Thank you Lord Jesus!
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.

"But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall by no means thirst forever; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life." (John 4:14) Recovery Version

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David M

San Juan Capistrano, CA, United States

Oct 4, 2023

Spring Thou up within my heart,

Rise to all eternity.

Thank you Lord your unlimited riches fill the eternity in man’s heart!!

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Ronnel Jubane

Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines

Feb 17, 2021

It reminds me of how small and sinful I am, but through him I found assurance of love, peace and mercy. He is truly the lover of my soul!!!!

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Ana Lara

United States

Dec 30, 2020

Of all the hymns Charles Wesley has written, this is usually considered to be his finest. He wrote anywhere from 6, 500 up to 8, 000 hymns. This hymn is still found in nearly every published hymnal and has been translated to almost every language. However, when Charles presented it to his brother John for approval, he did not like it because it was too sentimental. It was not until after Charles died that the hymn began to gain popularity and use. It was first published in 1740 in a collection of 139 hymns known as “ Hymns and Sacred Poems. ” The late Dr. Bodine said, “Is is the finest heart-hymn in the English language. ” Henry Ward Beecher, noted American preacher wrote:

I would rather have written that hymn of Wesley’s than to have the fame of all the kings that ever sat on the earth; it is more glorious, it has more power in it. I would rather be the author to that hymn than to hold the wealth of the richest man in New York. He will die after a little while, pass out of men’s thoughts, what will there be to speak of him? But people will go on singing that song until the last trump brings forth the angel band; and then I think it will mount upon some lips to the very presence of God.

There are many stories of the how Wesley was inspired to write this hymn but none has been completely proven. Some of these are as follows. On his return to England in the fall of 1763, after a disappointing time in the United States, Charles Wesley’s ship was caught in a storm and it seemed that all would be lost but on December 3 they reached land. Wesley wrote in his journal for that day, “I knelt down and blessed the Hand that had conducted me through inextricable mazes. ” Some writers say that during the storm a bird flew into Wesley’s cabin and hid in his bosom for comfort and safety. Another says Wesley wrote this text while lying under a hedge, having been beaten up by an angry mob opposing his ministry. Still others see the text as a picture of Wesley’s own life as a young man as he struggled to find his peace with God before his dramatic conversion on May 21, 1738.

The style of this hymn is childlike in its simplicity. There are 156 simple one-syllable words that appear among the 188 words of the text. Christ is presented as: lover, healer, refuge, fountain, wing and pilot; the All-Inclusive One. All believers can say “Thou, O Christ is all I want, more than all in Thee I find... ”

Many different tunes have been used with this text. The best known of these tunes in America is “Martyn, ” composed by Simeon B. Marsh, who was born in Sherborne, New York, in 1798. He was an organist, choir director and itinerant singing school-teacher. He was a Presbyterian Christian layman. One day in the fall of 1834 he wrote out this tune and called it “Martyn. ” There is no reason why he titled it this way. It was originally meant for one of John Newton’s hymns, “Mary at Her Savior’s Tomb. ” Because of this, it is sometimes called the “Resurrection Tune. ” Thirty years later Thomas Hastings, a leading American musician of sacred music, discovered that the “Martyn” tune matched well with Wesley’s text and began using it which had a great response in his new publications.

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Anthony Mbithi Musau

Queenstown, Southland, New Zealand

Aug 15, 2020

As I walk through the darkest valley of this passing life am reminded in isaiah 43:1"do not fear I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by your name; you are mine"Jesus truly you are thy lover of my soul.

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Paullah Leopoldo

Philippines

Jun 2, 2020

Thank you so much saints! May the Lord continue to speak to us and supply us in His Word, in the spirit, and in the Body!

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Saints In San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano, CA, United States

May 16, 2020

Dear Paullah Leopoldo,

Our home meeting really enjoyed this song tonight and got burdened to look up verses that correspond. Following is a list of verses we came up with that generally follow the flow of the hymn. Praise the Lord for the fellowship in the Body!

Isaiah 40:11
Psalm 91:4, 36:7, 17:8, 46:1-2, 119:114
Matthew 10:8
2 John 1:3
2 Corinthians 12:9
Ephesians 2:5, 7, 8
Acts 15:11
Exodus 15:26
Ecclesiastes 3:11
John 4:14, 7:38
Psalm 51
Revelation 22:17

These verses are wonderful to pray-read together with some other saints!

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Paullah Leopoldo

Philippines

May 13, 2020

Praise the Lord saints. Do you know any verses related to this hymn?

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Femi Adebayo

Ilesa, Osun, Nigeria

Apr 8, 2020

This hymn blessed my family tonight as we go through the family retreat during this pandemic covid-19.

Till the storm of life is past, we are safe in Him.

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Norma

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Sep 23, 2019

I love this new tune for "Jesus, Lover of My Soul"! Is there any information on the composer? I am arranging a number of hymns for violin and piano, and I included this tune with Aberswyth and the Marsh tune in a nice arrangement. I would like to give credit to the composer of the melody if they can be found.

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