Musical perception does not end when external sound stops. Many individuals, especially trained m... more Musical perception does not end when external sound stops. Many individuals, especially trained musicians, report experiencing melodies internally during rest, meditation, or the transition into sleep. Cognitive neuroscience describes this phenomenon as Involuntary Musical Imagery, in which fragments of music replay spontaneously in the mind without deliberate intention. This article explores the neurological basis of this experience and examines how rhythmic repetition in music may align with natural brainwave frequencies. Using the Carnatic raga Nalinakanthi as an illustrative example, the discussion integrates concepts from music theory, neuroscience, and auditory cognition to demonstrate how melodic structures can become deeply embedded in neural memory and reappear during transitional states of consciousness such as Hypnagogia.
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Papers by Sushan Acharya