Fingerstyle Guitarist / Arranger • Developer • Futures Trader
If you’re new to my channel my name is Christian. I started playing electric guitar in 2005 at age 11, inspired by my Dad, a singer-songwriter, who showed me Yngwie Malmsteen, and Paul Gilbert videos that sparked my interest for 80s rock and metal. That spark led me to explore classical music, which ignited my passion for composing and arranging. I started composing music in high school using Guitar Pro and a digital audio workstation (DAW). I had a private guitar teacher all throughout high school until I went to college.
By the last few years of high school I was composing rock/classical fusion pieces in my bedroom, starting to study scores and harmonic content from the great masters. Probably wrote over 80 drafts during these years. A lot of which have been unpublished or un-visited since.
At age 17 I began jazz guitar and arranging studies at Vanier College with great teachers like Christopher Smith, Nick Di Tomaso, and Chad Linsley. Before hitting College I already taught myself a lot of music theory. During these years I learned about jazz interpretation, harmony and arranging.
At age 19, while wrapping up my studies at Vanier College, I took a big interest into fingerstyle guitar, a self accompanied guitar style that was popularied by legends like Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed, I learned as many Chet tunes as I could wrap my head around. Little did I know this was the beginning of another deep rabbit hole.
From age 21 to 25, I performed solo guitar regularly in Old Montreal, learning how to engage crowds and grow as an artist. At age 23, I released my debut album, Lefty Wonderland, an album of guitar arrangements that I would have been playing at the time. During this time I played gigs across Ontario and Quebec, Canada with tribute bands and independent artists.
At age 25, I was forced to take a break from music in pursuit of a more stable income. I began studying financial markets and investing, which led to day trading. At age 26 I started VerrilloTrading, a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing my trading journey, and helping users navigate trading tools and software. Doing this led to a greater understanding of markets and investment strategy. It took about 5-7 years trading to become profitable. During this time I became fluent in C++ and writing helper applications for trading and other issues. Trading has taught me a lot about human nature, and there are similarities between writing software and music.
At age 30, with a more stable foundation I returned to performing in Old Montreal and began working on fresh guitar arrangements and recordings. If I can get back to my passion after a break, you can too—keep crushing!
In 2025 at age 31, I launched Baroque Gains, a YouTube channel to share guitar tutorials, arrangements and performances. I adapt music written for keyboard or organ, like J.S. Bach, for the guitar—something not often done. It’s challenging, but it shows that with creativity and effort, you can break new ground. My music blends old and new, and I hope it inspires you to experiment with your own ideas. For me, what truly matters is what we leave behind when we’re gone—a body of work that inspires and endures. Your body of work is far more important than chasing money or material possessions. Whatever your passion is, put in the work, stay curious, and stay at it!
– Christian –
VerrilloTrading • Baroque Gains
Content Creator