Thomas
PianoGuitarBass GuitarUkulele
About Thomas
Thomas Graeff is a multi-instrumentalist originally from the Pacific Northwest. He holds a Music Performance degree from Western Washington University after studying jazz improvisation and arranging with Chuck Israels, and the tuba with Dr. Carla Rutschman. He has performed music in a majority of the United States and also enjoys working as a freelance audio engineer.
Thomas has been teaching music professionally since 2011 in Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. In that time has helped thousands of students learn guitar, bass, ukulele, piano, drums, and brass instruments. Besides music, he maintains interests in basketball, chess, cooking, and computer programming.
Q&A with Thomas
Which musician would you like to play with?
Tommy Emmanuel
Which musician has influenced you the most?
Chuck Israels
What can you teach me better on your instrument than any other teacher?
How to pick fast on guitar.
How did you learn to play your instrument?
I started by watching an old VHS tape, then via guitar magazines, and eventually private instruction to fix all my bad habits :)
What equipment do you play on today?
Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic, Gibson Les Paul Electric, Ibanez bass, Miraphone tubas
Which personal trait helped you the most while practicing?
Patience
How do you handle children?
With patience
What has been your greatest experience as a musician so far?
Being called someone's "favorite" guitarist.
What was the biggest stage you played on?
Benaroya Hall in Seattle
Which record would you take with you to the desert island?
Tomita - The Firebird
Besides music, what else is important in your life?
Chess, basketball, cats
Music style(s)
ClassicalRockPopJazzR&BMetalCountryHip-Hop
Level(s) Comfortable Teaching
Beginner to Advanced
What languages can you teach in?
English
Bands, Projects, Notable Performances, Collaborations
many metal bands, brass quintets, pit orchestras
Other Music-related work / goals
Finishing coding out my practice program
Personal Interests
NBA, NFL, Chess, Wine, animals