Makis Stefanidis was born in Thessaloniki in 1965 and was raised in Stochholm. At the age of 14 he started playing the classical guitar and the he continued with the electric guitar. He studied jazz guitar, harmony and arranging at Kulturama Musicschool, in Stockholm.

In 1989 he continued his studies at Berklee College of Music with a scholarship and he graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor ιn Music Performance. Amomg his teachers were Jon Damian, Rick Peckham, Hal Crook, Ed Tomassi, George Garzone, Joe Lovano and Charlie Banacos.

Since 1996 he lives in Thessaloniki and teaches at the Modern Conservatory. In 2002 he formed the Makis Srefanidis Trio (Plan 3) with Lakis Tzimkas and Christos Yermenoglou, with which he started to perform. In 2012 he obtained a master's degree from the Ionian University.