Herman Li facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herman Li
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Li with DragonForce in 2019
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| Background information | |||||||||||||
| Born | 3 October 1976 British Hong Kong |
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| Instruments | Guitar | ||||||||||||
| Years active | 1993–present | ||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Chinese | 李康敏 | ||||||||||||
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Herman Li (Chinese: 李康敏; born 3 October 1976) is a talented musician from Hong Kong and Britain. He is best known as one of the lead guitarists for the band DragonForce. He also helps write their songs and produce their music.
Contents
Early Life and Languages
Herman Li was born in Hong Kong on October 3, 1976. When he was a teenager, he moved to France and then to England. Herman is very good at languages. He can speak English, French, and Cantonese fluently.
His Music Career
Herman Li started the band DragonForce in 1999 with Sam Totman. They are the only two original members still in the band today. Before DragonForce, Herman and Sam were in a band called Demoniac. DragonForce is known for its fast and exciting power metal music.
Herman Li's Guitar Style
Herman Li's guitar playing is very unique. He gets ideas from rock, different types of metal, and even video game music. He often makes sounds that remind people of old arcade and PC games from the 1980s and 1990s.
His playing style is very fast and technical. He uses many different guitar techniques. These include quick up-and-down movements on the strings. He also uses his whammy bar a lot to create cool sounds. Sometimes, he uses a special device called a Hot Hand. It fits on his hand like a ring. When he shakes it, it creates a strong vibrating sound. This helps him make those video game-like noises. Herman has said that famous guitarists like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Tony MacAlpine inspired his own style. Even though he is left-handed, he plays the guitar right-handed.
His Guitar Gear
Guitars He Uses
Herman Li mainly uses his own special guitars called Ibanez E-Gen models. These guitars are based on his older Ibanez S Series guitars. The EGEN18 model is purple, and the EGEN8 is a natural wood color. Both have a special fingerboard and gold parts.
The E-Gen guitars have many unique features. They have special switches to change the sound of the pickups. They also have a special bridge system. The body of the guitar has a unique shape, including a "Kung-Fu grip" that fits Herman's hand. These E-Gen guitars are very popular for the Ibanez S body style.
In 2010, Herman shared that he got a custom-made Ibanez 7-string guitar. This guitar has an extra string, which allows for a wider range of notes. He also owns other Ibanez guitars, like the Ibanez Jem7BSB. He has used this guitar to record rhythm parts on every DragonForce album. He also has an Ibanez RG2228, which is an 8-string guitar.
Amplifiers and Effects
For his main sound, Herman Li uses a Kemper Profiler. This device helps him create and use many different guitar sounds.
His Impact on Music and Games
Herman Li and Sam Totman are famous for their guitar solos in the song "Through the Fire and Flames." This song has been featured in several popular video games. It first appeared in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock as a bonus song. It was also in Guitar Hero Smash Hits and Guitar Hero Live. The song was also available for Rock Band 3 and featured in Rocksmith 2014.
Awards and Achievements
Herman Li has won many awards and been recognized for his amazing guitar skills:
- His song "Through the Fire and Flames" was certified Platinum by the RIAA. This means it sold over 1 million copies.
- His album "Inhuman Rampage" was certified Gold by the RIAA and Silver in the UK.
- In 2017, Music Radar/Total Guitar named him one of the Best Metal Guitarists in the World.
- He won the "Best Shredder Award" at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in both 2005 and 2009.
- DragonForce's song "Heroes of Our Time" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2009.
- He won "Best New Talent" and "Best Metal" in Guitar World Reader's Polls in 2007.
- His solo in "Through the Fire and Flames" won "Best Solo" in Total Guitar Reader's Poll 2007.
- Terrorizer Reader's Poll 2006 named DragonForce "Best Band" and "Best Live Act." Herman Li himself was named "Best Musician."
- Guitar World Magazine listed him among the "50 fastest guitarists."
See also
In Spanish: Herman Li para niños
