Readipop XOX 101

Readipop is hosting Readipop XOX 101 on Sunday 8 November, from 12:00 to 1:30 pm at their studio on 15 Trafford Road. It's a hands-on session with the XOX studio collection, and if you've ever wanted to get your hands on some of the gear that actually built electronic music, this is a good place to start.

The gear on the table is the real deal: the SH-101 mono synth, the TB-303 'Bassline', the TR-808 and TR-909 Rhythm Composers, and the Juno-6 poly synth. The 808 and 909 are the ones that kick-started drum programming and went on to underpin house and techno, and the Juno-6 is well known for its arpeggiator, the kind of sound you'll recognise from Stranger Things. The whole session is about getting stuck in with them rather than just watching someone else do it.

Readipop XOX 101 is part of the XOX Project, which they describe as an intimate introduction to the studio's collection of vintage synths and drum machines. The hour and a half of hands-on play is followed by a free XOX CAFE afternoon at Readipop Studios, with live electronic sets, synth discussions and demos, so you can stick around and keep talking gear long after the session itself has wrapped up.

All the money raised by the XOX 101 sessions goes to Readipop's core charity work, making music accessible to young people from all walks of life in the local area. Tickets are £27.24, and the session runs from 12:00 to 1:30 pm on Sunday 8 November at Readipop, 15 Trafford Road, Reading RG1 8JP.