Meet The Team
James Testani
James Testani is the founder of GoodGuitarist, where he helps everyday people learn guitar through simple, structured, and encouraging lessons.
With a background in music education, James focuses on real progress—teaching full songs, building confidence, and helping students actually enjoy playing. His YouTube channel (625K+ subscribers, nearly 1M views/month) features clear, song-based tutorials, and his step-by-step courses guide students from beginner to confident player. Off-camera, he enjoys family time and playing in his wife’s band, Willoux.
Over the past decade, James has worked with thousands of adult beginners and returning players, shaping his teaching around the real challenges they face. His approach blends practical technique, rhythm development, and song-based learning into a system that makes steady progress feel natural and achievable.
Ben
Content & Operations Manager
Ben Henriques’s background as an educator makes him a natural fit for shaping clear, effective video lessons at GoodGuitarist. As a jazz studies instructor at Capilano University, he brings a teacher’s perspective to video editing and motion graphics, focusing on clarity, pacing, and visual explanations that help players of all levels understand musical concepts.
Beyond his work at GoodGuitarist, Ben is an accomplished saxophonist, composer, and bandleader based in Vancouver. He has performed with artists including Joe Lovano, Ben Monder, Father John Misty, and Hey Ocean!. After studying at McGill University and working in Montreal’s jazz scene, he returned to British Columbia, where he continues to teach, perform, and create.
Goody The Guitar
Clarifier of Things
Goody first appeared in GoodGuitarist lessons in 2025, quietly popping up whenever something important needed to be said… or when James said something that could be said a little better.
He has a habit of pointing out useful tips that didn’t quite make the final cut, clarifying tricky ideas without interrupting the lesson, and generally keeping everyone honest.
You’ll usually see Goody appear in small captions during videos. He doesn’t talk much, but when he does, it’s worth reading.
(No one is quite sure where Goody came from. He just started showing up one day and never left.)
Senior Video Editor
Ben
Video Editor
Community Champions
Chris Robinson
Community Moderator
Clarifier of Things
Goody the Guitar
(Occasional Wisecracker)
