Everything about Angine de Poitrine seems to flip the script on what a band ‘should’ look or sound like, but it turns out guitarist Khn de Poitrine thinks that you need to have a bedrock of knowledge of the rules of music before you can really get weird.

Known for his microtonal magic on guitar, Khn feels that some musicians have the wrong idea about implementing scales and theoretical knowledge into their playing. While some may argue it stifles your creativity, he likens such technicality to using a map and a compass, while still having a wandering spirit.

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Speaking to Guitar World he says, “I think in terms of scales all the time. Or rather, intervals in a context. But it’s just a harmless piece of information that sits there in the consciousness. A lot of people get this idea of someone playing robotically with a straight face, thinking, ‘Now I should play this note, for this reason.’

“Even among musicians, there is this myth of how knowledge might somehow end up hurting your creativity. If I say, ‘I think in terms of scales all the time,’ it does not mean, ‘the things that should be done according to a given set of rules will dictate all of my choices.’ It’s not like I will only act creatively in a sterile and conscious effort to create only using these tools.”

He goes on to add, “When I wander in that space, I have a compass and a map in my pocket. Some areas remain blurry to me since my knowledge is limited, but I can recognise and name some of the sounds and phenomenons that I love. I can use them by choice if I’m looking for a specific taste, but I can also let things happen and analyse as I go or even after.

“Terminology matters to me,” he states. “When someone uses the inappropriate term in a conversation, I become insanely irritated. I make a conscious effort not to bother people too much with that stuff, though. But when you play chords, intervals, melodies in a harmonic and rhythmic context, every aspect of what is happening has a name.

“Why on earth would someone make a point out of not knowing the names of things? Terminology is our only hope at humanity. Without it, chaos awaits. Value terminology. Worship terminology. Or be a monkey.”

Want to catch Angine de Poitrine live? Head over to the band’s official website to view their full list of scheduled tour dates. 

Rachel began writing for Guitar.com in 2021 while finishing up her degree. A proud DIY guitarist, she has been playing for over 10 years and has written for the likes of Kerrang!, The Forty-Five, and MusicTech. An enjoyer of all things heavy, you’ll find her at a festival or downtuning her guitars when away from her desk.