This video is a profile of minimalist composer Steve Reich, in which he talks about his music, his influences, his very lo-fi ‘funky home tape recorders’ and other early gear, and his inspiration for his classic Music for 18 Musicians.

The film also includes behind-the-scenes footage of the London Sinfonietta and Synergy Vocals in rehearsal for a performance of Music for 18 Musicians. Music for 18 Musicians, like much of Reich’s work, uses techniques that he developed in his early electroacoustic music, and which have been adopted by countless electronic musicians.

Along the way, Reich has this to say about his funky gear: “Don’t tell me you don’t have the right equipment…. IT DOESN’T MATTER! What matters is your musical imagination and your ideas.”