Herman Li

Early life

Herman Li was born on 3 October 1976 in Hong Kong and moved to England during his teenage years. He speaks Cantonese and English fluently.

Playing style

Li draws influences from rock, all subgenres of metal as well as video game music and often mimics sounds from popular retro games from the late 80s, early-90s arcade, and PC games. For example, Li has been known for making several Pac-Man-like noises in the song "Through the Fire and Flames" on Inhuman Rampage. His playing style consists of fast descending and ascending legato and staccato licks, exotic scale runs, making extensive use of the harmonic minor and Phrygian dominant scale, extreme use of his whammy bar, quick full ascending and descending sweep picking arpeggios, alternate picking and tapping (two-handed tapping) on the higher frets as well as incorporating many other shred guitar style techniques. Li is left-handed but learned to play right-handed. Recently, he has started to use a device called the Hot Hand that sits on his right hand like a ring, which causes extreme vibrato when shaken, giving him greater capacity to emulate certain video game sounds. Li has stated Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Tony MacAlpine guitar playing heavily inspired his own style.

Equipment

Guitars

Li uses Ibanez E-Gen guitars, his signature Ibanez models based on his old Ibanez S Series, which was retired from stage at the end of the Inhuman Rampage tour. The EGEN18 has a 'Transparent Violet Flat' finish (transparent purple on a flamed-maple top), and the EGEN8 has a 'Platinum Blonde' finish (natural wood finish with a flamed-maple top). Both have a rosewood fingerboard and gold hardware. The E-Gen model has many unique features and improvements over a standard S, including its versatile tone selection with coil tap switching for both the bridge and neck pickups, Edge Zero bridge (the EGEN8 has Edge III), custom DiMarzio HLM pickups (the EGEN8 has Ibanez pickups) and an extended scoop on the lower horn of the body, as well as a 'Kung-Fu grip' on the upper horn shaped by Li's hand. It is currently Ibanez's flagship model for S body style guitars.

On 9 May 2010 Li announced via Facebook that he had received a custom-made Ibanez 7-string guitar. No details are known yet about this guitar, other than it has seven strings, and it is unknown whether it will be mass-produced for his E-Gen signature line.

Before the E-Gen, he had been known to play Ibanez S Prestige guitars. An Ibanez S470SOL (Japanese build 1995), a seven string Ibanez 540S7 (Japanese build 1991) (used in Revolution Deathsquad, Storming the Burning Fields, before the second verse and in the outro of Heartbreak Armageddon and the bridge section of Operation Ground and Pound), and an Ibanez S540FMTTS (Japanese build 1995). He has also been seen playing an Ibanez S2170FB and an Ibanez S2170FW. He also owns an Ibanez Jem7BSB, which has been used on every DragonForce album for recording rhythm guitar parts, an Ibanez J Custom RG, an Ibanez RG2228 (8-string model), and a PRS Modern Eagle, which he received as a gift from Paul Reed Smith and can be seen in the studio.

Amplifiers and effects

Li keeps his effects and amplifiers in a rack, as stated on his official website:

• Furman Power Conditioner 220V
• Korg DTR-2000 Guitar Tuner
• Rocktron All Access LTD Edition (installed on slide-out tray at the back, controlled by guitar tech)
• Source Audio – Hot Hand MIDI-EXP Controller
• Source Audio – Hot Hand Wah Filter (with Wireless Adapter (worn like a ring). Daisy chained to MIDI-EXP)
• Samson Synth 5 UHF Dual Wireless System
• Rocktron Patch Mate Loop 8 (for patching pedals parallel into the Prophesy II loop)
• Rocktron Prophesy II (x2)
• Dunlop Cry Baby DCR-2SR
• Rocktron Hush Pro
• Ibanez Eggbeater
• Digitech GSP1101 (used only for extra effects. Attached to Hot Hand MIDI-EXP)
• Mesa Boogie Stereo 2:Fifty Power Amp (x2)
• Peavey JSX Speaker Cabinets (go direct to Front of House)

Pedals:

• Source Audio Hot Hand Wireless Adapter
• Digitech Whammy 2 (connected to the Rocktron Patch Mate for true bypass)
• Dunlop Cry Baby Controller
• Rocktron All Access
• Rocktron MIDI Mate (controlled by guitar tech)

Notable awards and achievements

Li has won and featured in the following awards:

• Metal Hammer Golden Gods 2009 – Best Shredder Award
• Grammy Awards 2009 – Best Metal Performance "DragonForce" Nomination
• Guitar World Reader's Poll 2007 – Best New Talent (winning by 70%)
• Guitar World Reader's Poll 2007 – Best Metal
• Guitar World Reader's Poll 2007 – Best Riff
• Total Guitar Reader's Poll 2007 – Best Solo "Through the Fire and Flames”
• Terrorizer Reader's Poll 2006 – Best Band "DragonForce”
• Terrorizer Reader's Poll 2006 – Best Musician "Herman Li”
• Terrorizer Reader's Poll 2006 – Best Live Act "DragonForce”
• Metal Hammer Golden Gods 2005 – Best Shredder Award
• Guitar World Magazine – 50 fastest guitarists