half-step - in Western music, the smallest distance from one note to the next (for example, on the piano), or the distance from one swarastaana to the next. s to r1, r1 to r2, m1 to m2, etc. are all half-steps. Two half-steps are equivalent to a whole-step. Half steps in Western notes are, for example, from B to C or from E to F

hampitam - a rarely-used gamaka which uses the sound hoom (oo as in good) repeatedly

harmonic minor - in Western classical, a scale that is equal to the minor scale but that the 7th note is increase by a half-step in both the ascending scale and descending scale. This converts N2 to N3, making this scale equivalent to gowri manOhari

harmony - often used in Western music and other music forms, it is the practice of singing in parts, where each person has a part (often of different pitches) and sings or plays that part. The sounds become blended together though of different pitch to give a uniform, beautiful sound. Harmony usually has 4 sets of pitches: soprano (the highest), alto, tenor and bass (lowest). The highest voices are for female singers and the lowest for male singers, most often. Harmony is rarely used, if at all, in Carnatic music

hasya - a rasa, or feeling, of laughter in a song or raaga, seen in raagas such as mOhanam, kEdaaram, and hamsadwani

hecu staayi varisai - phrases for practice singing up to the taara staayi pa

Hindi - the primary language of India. Few Carnatic songs are in this language

Hindustaani - the main system of Classical music performed in North India