Sonic Worldbuilding
curriculum developed by Slowfoam / Madelyn Byrd | 2024 - present
Sonic Worldbuilding is a course & workshop series organised by Slowfoam / Madelyn Byrd that spans music production and theory, as a space geared toward FLINTA+ of all backgrounds & experience.
The Sonic Worldbuilding curriculum and methodology roots in sonic fiction, queer theory, surrealism, utopian theory, ecoacoustics, deep-listening, and neuroaesthetics to explore the potentiality of sound as a transformative tool. Through production, students delve into sonic possibility through countermapping & deep listening exercises, field recording, biomimicry using somatics and voice, and various DAW techniques including collage/sampling, sonic un/reworlding. The curriculum is subversive, decolonial, and prioritizes sympoiesis, or collaboration with more-than-human realities.
Sonic Worldbuilding has been taught in-person at BIMM and Kwia in Berlin, and online with the support of Soundial and Gravity Pleasure. Courses are taught and organised by Slowfoam / Madelyn Byrd. Recent editions have expanded into a collaborative format which were co-facilitated by ophélie, Sk [Rain], Pablo Diserens, Diane Barbé, and Thom Lucero.
iterations
✧ Sonic Worldbuilding w/ Slowfoam, Pablo Diserens, Diane Barbé, Thom Lucero - 5 weeks online - 2026
✧ Ableton Production & Flow w/ Slowfoam, ophélie, Sk [Rain], Pablo Diserens - 5 weeks online - 2026
✧ Sonic Worldbuilding Guest Lecture - BIMM Berlin
✧ Sonic Worldbuilding with Slowfoam & Sk [Rain] - 5 weeks online - 2025
✧ Sonic Worldbuilding Methodology & Practice - 5 weeks - Kwia - 2025
✧ Sonic Worldbuilding II Methodology & Practice - 4 weeks - Soundial - 2025
✧ Subversive Creative Practice & Sonic Worldbuilding - 4 weeks - Soundial - 2024
✧ Weaving Sounds (Guest Lecture) - Soundial 2024
formats
Courses tend to run 4-6 weeks, but can be modified to fit various formats & contexts: from 1-2 day workshops to semester long courses. It can be adjusted for in-person & online, and for all ages and backgrounds.
If you’d like to host Sonic Worldbuilding at your festival, event space, university, residency, etc, please get in touch!
Contact: slowfoam@gmail.com
