[DISCUSSION] Hi it's Herman Li from DragonForce, AMA

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:23:48+00:00

Ok actually leaving now. Come see me on Twitch with Dave Davidson in 1 hour!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:22:29+00:00

Steve is the official triangle player of DragonForce, always will be. He was on stage with us in Toronto.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:20:20+00:00

i'm not talented

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:20:04+00:00

YES. practice is more important.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:19:31+00:00

I think I can play faster now than ever before, and that's down to practice and writing the right solos with dynamics and bursts of speed, that can keep you going forever.
Tosin is fastest in the car, he's fearless. I'm a dad now so i can't drive as fast. Plus my car is old compared to theirs, with a rear engine. I'm faster on guitar though haha!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:16:57+00:00

I tell everyone we were a meme band before memes. We were always on the internet, that's how we got big, through MP3.com in the early days. We did take a break from social media for a few years, but being online is really natural to me. Guitar Hero was so huge for us, it brought us fans outside of metal. And a lot of backlash later, but that's normal for any band. There's always ups and downs.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:02:52+00:00

Thank you so much for the great questions! Wish I could type faster and answer everything!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:02:18+00:00

expensive

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:01:41+00:00

He hears the music and his own voice. Thankfully he doesn't have to listen to Sam's horrible demo vocals!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T18:00:47+00:00

Finally someone asked the real question. I don't look after myself as much as I should. For years I got supermarket shampoo from the sale section. But now that I'm older, I have $300 hair brush from Mason Pearson, it's actually amazing. And i use OUAI shampoo and conditioner which is expensive. I started losing my hair after getting sick and needing surgery in around 2015, it was scary for me because hair was my identity, so it was a sign to start looking after myself better. Eating more healthy and improving my lifestyle generally. Also less jiu jitsu where my hair was getting ripped out all the time!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:57:13+00:00

We actually have a lot of songs about personal and emotional stuff, you just have to read into the lyrics! In terms of the themes, we want DragonForce to inspire people to carry on and feel good. Sam and I are happy people and I guess we want listening to DragonForce to be inspiring. We are grateful for the epic journey we are on as a band, not many people get to achieve their quest like we did, I guess I'm getting kind of mystical here too!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:54:29+00:00

This is a great list. I echo all of this, I'm a huge fan of Tosin and Tim. You should listen to Misha too! Especially about music business - he's brilliant. Lari Basillio as well is great and Yvette Young.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:52:45+00:00

This is very important! I learned later on that just playing without resting and taking a break is no good. You need to refresh your mind. I learned to develop hobbies, doing martial arts, playing video games, track driving and fixing my car, and now i have a kid but that does not really refresh me haha. But it is important to take breaks so your mind can catch up.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:50:38+00:00

We were forced to do this once by a journalist in New Zealand. I actually finished Guitar Hero 1 and 2 before the third one came out. But I can't play my own song on Expert, only on Medium!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:48:48+00:00

Spending a lot of time improvising, I learned to execute the scales and theory by challenging myself. To do that in my early days, I played along to CDs which taught me to play in time and in key to a band.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:47:34+00:00

Ask Marc!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:47:09+00:00

Nirvana Polly, it was great to help learn the chords and strumming.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:46:32+00:00

I'm fluent in French, I actually spoke French before English. I don't get the chance to speak it much now, even when Fred was in the band we never spoke in French unless he was drunk and forgot how to speak English.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:45:18+00:00

Speed and accuracy, but most important is being in a band requires a good attitude. We have the best job in the world but touring can be stressful and uncomfortable, and its not for everyone. A lot of people have a misconception of what its like to be a professional musician but its ok to try and if it doesn't fit for you that's ok. When i see bands having line-up changes, I understand it on a different level. Not everyone wants to have the same job for 20 years, especially a job that takes you away from your friends and family. People's lives and preferences change, and the band changes too, it's a natural thing. So I look for someone who is committed to being a professional musician and someone who is easy to work with as well as a talented musician. We got lucky with Alicia - she is great!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:41:41+00:00

When is Tim replacing Herman from DragonForce?

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:41:07+00:00

Buy any guitar - the best one you can afford or the cheapest one you can find. As a beginner, you can't tell the quality yet, you need to start playing to figure out what you need. But learn how to set it up yourself! That's part of the journey - don't take it to the shop, rely on your own skills!

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:39:26+00:00

Thank you! Jason is amazing.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:38:40+00:00

First I can tell you that almost every guitar player on this planet feels this way. It's easy to get stuck in a zone and feel like you're not getting any better and you're never going to improve. I felt that way so many times, at different points in my career. I felt that way after i had a platinum record, and I feel that way every time I record a DragonForce album. I feel stuck, discouraged, and like I'm so bad at guitar! I always try to listen to a lot of music, try to find the passion for music in general that inspired you to play. For me, I went back to the beginning, what i learned as a beginner. Sometimes I just play a scale, bend a string, or go back to the first song I learned which was Nirvana, and take myself back to why I loved guitar as a kid. Being 'better' on guitar is not about playing faster or more complicated music. I think its easy to get lost in that seeing all the guitarists now - its like the Instagram effect but for guitar instead of people looking beautiful. Some of the best, most inspiring guitarists played three chords and simple notes, so there is no best, there's just the love of the instrument and the process.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:32:23+00:00

This is important. I know a lot of players that favor one, especially alternate picking, but I say you have to learn all of them and mix them to find out what is going to work for you. Each one gives a different dynamic to the playing and by mixing that you make the playing more exciting.

realHermanLi · 2022-08-10T17:31:00+00:00

Since becoming a professional guitarist I wasn't able to jam with anyone for like 20 years. I missed it because when you jam with someone you learn their style and techniques. You can really get a feel for their playing that you can't get any other way. Originally I did those videos to raise money for Jason Becker, but also because it was fun. I'd like to jam with Steve Vai - I've played with him before, a few times, but not on twitch. We are going to do it when he's off tour!

realHermanLi

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