1. Song Materials and Levels The song materials selected for this research will be sourced from copyrighted compositions under UM Centre of Innovation and Enterprise (UMCIE). This maximizes the utilization of readily available resources and serves as a platform for promoting the original works of UM lecturers. The songs are organised into three difficulty levels, with approximately five songs per level. Songs within each level have equivalent rhythmic and cognitive demands, allowing variation without altering task difficulty.
2. Baseline Assessment for Music Therapy Participants will undergo an initial level assessment conducted at the hospital by the trained music therapist. If travel is not feasible, level assessment is conducted at the participant's home. The songs will be presented to the participants and they will choose one song to start.

Participants in the control group continue with usual standard neurorehabilitation program as prescribed by the rehabilitation team, without exposure to the music-based intervention.

This will provide a baseline to compare outcomes with the intervention group and evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of the music therapy intervention. The usual cognitive rehabilitation program during the subacute stroke period focuses on restoring cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, executive functions, and communication.

• A certified music therapist will conduct an initial assessment (at the hospital or at your home if travel is not feasible).
• You and your caregiver will receive structured training so you can carry out the programme at home independently.
• You will complete home sessions of about 40 minutes per session, daily for 5 days per week, for 4 weeks.
• Your caregiver will use a simple checklist after each session to record completion, duration, alertness, fatigue, and any concerns.
• The therapist will make weekly phone calls to support adherence and address questions.
• The therapist will conduct level checks approximately after 2 weeks (at hospital or at home) and may adjust the song tasks to match your progress.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely used cognitive screening tool designed to detect mild cognitive impairment. It demonstrates higher sensitivity in identifying subtle cognitive deficits compared to other screening instruments.

Scale Range: 0 to 30 Interpretation: Higher scores indicate better cognitive function Cut-off Score: A score of 26 and above is generally considered normal cognitive function

Trail Making Tests are tests of speed for attention, sequencing, mental flexibility, visual search, and motor function.

Forward Digit Span (FDS) assesses short-term, auditory memory, while Backward Digit Span (BDS) tests working memory and central executive processing.

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a quick,, widely used neurocognitive screening tool designed to detect dementia, Alzheimer's, and other cognitive impairments.

CogniPlus is a computer-based cognitive training and assessment system developed to measure and improve attention, processing speed, and executive functions, particularly in individuals with cognitive impairments following stroke or other neurological conditions.

Scale Range: Varies by subtest/module (e.g., attention, processing speed), typically reported as performance scores such as reaction time (milliseconds), accuracy (%), or standardized scores

Interpretation:

Higher accuracy (%) and standardized scores indicate better cognitive performance Lower reaction time (milliseconds) indicates better processing speed Outcome Metrics: Task-specific measures including reaction time, error rate, and level progression