Herman Li

Herman Li (Chinese: 李康敏, Hanyu Pinyin: Lǐ Kāng Mǐn^[1]; born March 12, 1975) is the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and producer in the power metal band DragonForce.

Personal life

Li was born in Hong Kong. According to his profile on the DragonForce website, his interests other than music are computer technology and martial arts. He trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu five days a week.^[2] He also speaks three languages fluently. Li has played in several bands, including the black metal band Demoniac, the predecessor of DragonForce.

Playing influences

Li draws influences from video game music and 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-type noises in the song "Through the Fire and Flames" on Inhuman Rampage. His playing style consists of fast descending and ascending licks, extreme use of the whammy bar, quick sweep picking and tapping on the higher frets. It is a little known fact that Li is left handed but learned to play right handed because he could not afford a left handed guitar. Recently, he has begun to use a device that sits on his right hand like a ring, which causes extreme vibrato when shaken, further giving his guitar the sound of classical video games.

Guitars

Li uses an Ibanez E-gen guitar, which is his signature model based on his old S Series. Before this, he had been known to play Ibanez S Prestige guitars, a seven string Ibanez (used in Revolution Deathsquad, Storming the Burning Fields, and the "bridge" section of Operation Ground and Pound), and a decade old Ibanez S540. Herman also has been seen playing an Ibanez S2170FB, an Ibanez S2170FW, an Ibanez GRX20, and an Ibanez GRG170DX.

Current Equipment

Guitars

• Ibanez E-Gen - EGEN18 Herman LI Signature Model
• Ibanez Acoustics
• DiMarzio Pickups (HLM - Neck, Middle, Bridge)
• D'Addario Strings

Effects

• Rocktron Prophesy II
• Rocktron All Access
• Rocktron MIDI Mate
• Source Audio Hot Hand
• MIDIjet Pro Wireless Midi System
• DigiTech Whammy 2
• Dunlop Cry Baby DCR-2SR
• Ibanez Weeping Demon
• Rocktron Patch Mate
• Rocktron Xpression
• Rocktron Intellifex XL
• Korg DTR-2000
• Fi Dorra Music Box
• DigiTech HarmonyMan
• Hot Hands

Amplifiers

• Marshall 120 WT head
• Marshall 4x12 cabinets
• Mesa Boogie Stereo 2:Fifty
• Peavey 4x12 Straight cabinets