How Khn’s Unconventional Guitar Mentor Shaped Angine de Poitrine’s Distinctive Sound
In 2026, Khn, the dynamic guitarist of Angine de Poitrine, has taken the music scene by storm, introducing audiences to the captivating realm of microtonal music. He attributes much of his unique style to an eccentric guitar instructor who would intimidate most aspiring musicians.
“In our local music school, there was a small venue called Le Ménestrel where I would frequently attend student concerts,” Khn shares with Guitar World. “I was fascinated by the wild teenagers who formed a stoner-speed-freak subculture, notorious for their reckless antics fueled by alcohol.”
Though, Khn found their music to be a “high-effort, low-reward endeavor,” noting its complexity frequently enough alienated a large audience.
Instead of shying away from such challenges, Khn embraced them. In his final year of high school, he enrolled in classical guitar lessons, where he encountered a truly memorable character.
“He was the type of teacher that would make many students uneasy,” Khn recalls. “He always appeared angry and had peculiar habits, like storing his tuner in a worn-out Ziploc bag.”
Quirkiness is a hallmark of Angine de Poitrine, and Khn felt right at home with this unconventional mentor.
“During my first lesson, this short, intense man in cowboy boots lit a hand-rolled cigarette and asked me to play somthing,” Khn remembers. “After just 15 seconds, he stopped me, visibly annoyed, and took my hand to file my nails into a better shape.”
“He then attached a makeshift metal ring to my pinky to keep it aligned with the others. I was made to practice various finger-picking patterns on open strings while he relentlessly corrected my posture and inundated me with information.”
These lessons highlighted his weaknesses, but Khn appreciated the teacher’s demanding nature. He thrived under his strict guidance.
“Teachers like him can really challenge your ego if they sense you’re not pushing your limits because they are deeply passionate about music,” Khn explains.”But they also reward dedication.”
Frank Zappa’s eccentric compositions are woven into the fabric of Angine de Poitrine’s musical identity. khn’s mentor was an admirer of Zappa and encouraged his students to form bands to perform his arrangements.
“He encouraged us to improvise chaotic, dissonant transitions between songs, using hand signals to guide us,” Khn adds. “To me, a true guitar hero is someone who shares their knowledge and passion so generously.”
“Beyond the classroom,he pushed us to perform at our first gigs,where we were actually paid to play for a real audience. It was a source of pride, but also made us self-conscious as we opened for seasoned musicians. Those years left a lasting impression on me.”
the Canadian band has previously mentioned that their initial experiments with microtonal guitar were born from a playful idea, which unexpectedly turned into a viral sensation. Their first guitar featured extra frets that were crudely added, but they have as upgraded to a custom Godin double-neck guitar. So, how did they evolve into the artists they are today?
For the full interview with Khn, check out the October 2026 issue of Guitar World, featuring Paul McCartney on the cover. Copies are available for order through Magazines Direct.
