Sufi Rwak Voice

The sharper a singer's voice, the more it konnekts with the soul...awaaz jitni sharp ho, woh utni hi dil koh chooti hai...Himesh - the Sufi Rwak singer has one of the sharpest voices ever in Bollywood playback, and it causes a prick / pinch / striking sensation in particular high pitch range n notes...due to this, Himesh - the Sufi Rwak singer will be counted among the most legendary singers in Bollywood.
 

Himesh's natural instincts in his default sufi-rwak singing style are to fully express himself, go FULLTU and pour his heart out with PROLONGED ABRUPT TWISTS-N-TURNS with EMPHASIS added.

Talking about the range of his Sufi Rwak voice, Himesh is able to sing in ALL THREE pitches/octaves namely:

1. HIGH PITCHED:

Sharp knife-edged vocals with unique nazal twang i.e. the stanzas of Junoon Junoon from Rocky – The Rebel (2006) and stanzas of Aashiquana Hai Dil from Aap Ka Suroor (2006), and his line TUM at 0.45 to 0.46 in Ahista Ahista Title Track.

2. MIDDLE OCTAVE:

Dekhu Tujhe Toh Pyaar Aaye from Apne (2007) , Lagi Lagi from Aksar (2006) and Kitne Armaan from Phir Hera Pheri (2006).

3. LOWER BAZZ OCTAVE:

Killer vocals that are used selectively i.e. in Ahista Ahista Title Trax and Kola Laka Vellari from Welcome (2007).

e.g. his line PARCHIYAAN...TANHAIYAAN from 0.25 to 0.30 in Ahista Ahista Title Trax and his lines TUJHE YAAD KARKE MUJHE CHAIN AAYE MERE JAANIYA VE from 0.26 to 0.42 & 5.07 to 5.19 in Kola Laka Vellari from Welcome, and line AE NAZNEEN from 0.51 to 0.53 & 1.24 to 1.26 in Ameen from Red.

The key virtue of Himesh – the Sufi Rwak composer is to compose high-pitched melodies with prolonged abrupt twists-n-turns that are tailor made for Himesh – the Sufi Rwak singer.

Radio Voice

Himesh's new voice is his reply to his haters and detractors/critics of his nazal singing i.e. in order to achieve a non nazal tone he stopped putting emphasis n rather sung with restraint. In fact, the more emphasis he puts on his vocals, the more nazal they sound (and vice versa) e.g. he sings the starting lines until 0.13 in CHALAO NA from BOL BACHCHAN with his new voice with restraint, and contrast this with the vocal emphasis in line NAINA RE-EE-EE-EE from 0.29 to 0.32, 0.56 to 0.58 & 1.17 to 1.20 in his full on Sufi Rwak vocals in NAINA RE from DANGEROUS ISHHQ and the nazal tone is back.

More than his new voice, it is his pitch range and singing style that causes the difference.

Talking about his singing style, Himesh curbs his natural instincts to go fulltu / fully express himself and instead sings in a RESTRAINED mode / manner within himself with SELF-COMPOSURE due to which there is an underlying DEPTH or GOONJ in his Radio voice (i.e. in Jaaneman, especially in da ending unplugged part).

Talking about his range, he is able to sing in all three pitch range namely and the variation in this range affects his tonal quality.

1. HIGH PITCH:

Himesh has made use of a falsetto voice using his "new Radio vocals / singing style" in the following song portions:

> His line, WOO OOOW (OFF-DA-HOOK high pitched) from 0.45 to 0.47, 1.03 to 1.05 & 1.33 to 1.35 in MANGO from DAMADAMM.

> His line, MERI JAA-AA-AA-AA-NNNN (killer soulfful croon) from 1.08 to 1.18 & 1.50 to 1.58 in HUM TUM TRAIN KI from DAMADAMM.

A few definitions of a falsetto voice are: a male voice in an upper register beyond its normal range, a form of vocal production used by male singers to extend their range upwards beyond its natural compass by limiting the vibration of the vocal cords, a male singing voice with artificially high tones in an upper register, the higher ranges of the voice in singing; the vibrations of sung notes are felt in the head.

Singing high pitched notes in a falsetto voice is quite a difficult feat to pull off and only pro singers can pull it off with conviction. This is because it is basically trying to sing with an artificially high pitched voice and yet trying to ensure believability in it, without sounding amateurish. This is indeed a remarkable feat by Himesh - the new Radio singer, because prior to this he could only sing in the "middle and lower bazz octave" range, but he found a way for the "high pitch" range using his new Radio singing style n vocals. Having said this, the core fundamentals and versatility of Himesh - the singer can never ever be doubted!

2. MIDDLE OCTAVE:

Mann Ka Radio, Jaaneman and Shaam Ho Chali from Radio (2009), Ek Haseena Thi from Karzzzz (2009) and Kitna Pyar Karte Hain from Banaras (2006).

3. LOWER BAZZ OCTAVE:

Piya Jaise Ladoo and Rafa Dafa from Radio (2009).

e.g. his line, IRADA RIHAYI KA from 0.41 to 0.43 in Rafa Dafa Kiya Nahi Jaaye from Radio, his line OOOO from 2.23 to 2.25 in Piya Jaise Ladoo from Radio, his line HUM TUM TRAIN KI PATRIYON KI TARAAH from 0.27 to 0.46 in Hum Tum Train Ki from Damadamm.

Hence, it is the nature of the composition pattern that will determine his singing style and range in terms of pitch, and Himesh – the composer gave the scope to Himesh – the singer to showcase his so-called new voice.

Like once a caller requested him to sing a high-pitched Sufi Rwak composition in his new voice (i.e. ABA Title Trax) during a show on a leading news channel at the release time of his Radio album, he responded by saying that the scope and nature of composition would not suit it.

Himesh fans should request these songs from Radio and Damadamm in their respective local Radio stations whenever possible: Jaanemann, Piya Jaise Ladoo, Koi Na Koi Chahe, Teri Meri Dosti, Shaam Ho Chali, Yun Toh Mera Dil, Hum Tum, Tere Bina, Mango. These songs have a different singing avatar of Himesh and have not had that much desirable exposure as expected. People should also hear the 'other' voice of Himesh a lot, n nobody else would request or would be expected to request these songs on fm, other than Himesh fans...they have to take the initiative and do it.

Himesh's most popular n most heard song amongst audience n listener segment to date in his 'other' non nazal voice is Chalao Na Naino Se from Bol Bachchan.

Conclusion

With regards to his Sufi Rwak voice vs new voice, talking about vocal emphasis, there are 2 other aspects to this i.e. the pitch range n prolonged twists-n-turns. While using his new voice, Himesh composes songs mainly in middle octave range (this prevents the vocal emphasis in high pitch) and the tune is simple n well structured without prolonged twists-n-turns (this also prevents vocal emphasis). Hence, more than the new-ish voice, it is his singing style n selection of pitch range of melody notes n structure of the melody, due to which the difference in vocal emphasis is achieved.

The KEY difference between Himesh's Sufi Rwak voice n new Radio voice is that his Sufi Rwak voice is SHARP KNIFE EDGE whereas his new Radio has underlying DEPTH / GOONJ.

To see the difference:

> OOOOOOOO (sharp knife edge) from 0.45 to 1.01 & 2.22 to 2.37 in RANHJNA from NANHE JAISELMER.

> JAANE-MANNNN (depth / goonj) from 3.59 to 4.01 in JAANEMAN from RADIO.

Sufi Rwak voice 'patli' ho jati hai at high pitch range...aur...new Radio voice 'ghehraayi ke saath bhar jaati hai' in middle octave range.

It is a great thing that Himesh is able to sing in two different "styles", because his new style proves that he is able to sing your typical Indian Hindustani / Desi number rather than only limited to his Sufi Rwak which he has ruled like nobody's business.

This fact only shows his versatility as a singer that would only increase his scope to sing songs of various different genres.

HIGH PITCH: in BOTH Sufi Rwak voice & new voice (using Falsetto).

MIDDLE OCTAVE: in BOTH Sufi Rwak voice & new voice.

LOWER BAZZ OCTAVE: in BOTH Sufi Rwak voice & new voice.

As a general remark, the difference between both voices / singing styles is that SUFI RWAK (fulltu) and NEW (restrained/self composed).

Tonal Changes

Allegations of Tonal Change after supposed Nazal Surgery

Some people are allegating that in the recent past, Himesh's tonal quality and voice texture has changed. How has his voice and tone changed??!! Haven't really notice it as such, give me 2 songs...one old song with original tone/voice and one new song with changed tone/voice and i will try to compare the difference in between them...by what i understand, Himesh's voice/tone in songs like NAAM HAI TERA, TUM SAANSON MEIN was more CRISP and THIN whereby in some of his recent songs sometimes it sounds a bit SHARP and COARSE, but i believe this is mainly due to sound recording and mic equipment...e.g. his high pitch in Naam Hai Tera, Aashiqana Hai Dil doesn't sound harsh, but his high pitch in Chichora Piya sounds harsh...this is due to mic and voice recording equipment and locha in mixing.

Some people are saying that Himesh's tonal quality has changed after nazal or vocal chords surgery...well, there is no confirmed news about his surgery, and even if he did it...it was to get rid of nazal polyps which were a hindrance for breathing...he didn't do it to enhance or change his tonal quality, and this surgery is still unconfirmed...about his tonal quality changing, i feel it is a natural or gradual process for voice to change somewhat a little bit (just like the ageing process of a human being), and secondly...because he may be using different mic and voice recording equipment these days as opposed to Naam Hai Tera days, so the tonal quality can sound somewhat different.

Different Tonal Qualities

Listen to the tone of Himesh's vocals in Aap Ki Kashish (very different tone as compared to remaining songs in that era), then listen to his tone in his vocals in Naam Hai Tera and Tum Saanson Mein (very sharp knife edge with khanaak and kashish, one of his best ever tones in his playback singing), then listen to his tone in Teri Meri Dosti Ka Aasmaan from Radio and Rehnumaan from Sanam Teri Kasam (similar tones with khanaak). But now if people say that they want that same puraani tone which was in Tum Saanson Mein and Naam Hai Tera all the time, then how it is possible yaar...all his various tones are good in their own way.

Himesh is one of the most versatile singer in Bollywood playback because he has so many different diverse tonal ranges, tonal textures and tonal qualities...and how his tone is going to sound, depends upon the song, he feels the song and that tone comes naturally to justify the song's requirements e.g. different tone for Aashiq Banaya Aapne, different tone for Kitna Pyaar Karte Hain from Banaras, different tone for Aap Ki Khatir Title Trax, different tone for Rafa Dafa from Radio. That's why his songs can never get monotonous and listeners from other countries can't tell if it is same one singer who sang these songs without checking album credits. Most other singers have only one defined same tone.