DragonForce's Herman Li Talks Why He Left Ibanez, Explains What He Looks for in Guitar
During a conversation with UG's Justin Beckner, DragonForce guitarist Herman Li talked about leaving Ibanez Guitars after many years of playing the company's instruments.
Herman also talked about all the guitars he has in his collection, what he looks for in an instrument and more.
DragonForce released its eighth studio album "Extreme Power Metal" in September 2019. You can check out a part of the conversation below.
Herman also talked about all the guitars he has in his collection, what he looks for in an instrument and more.
DragonForce released its eighth studio album "Extreme Power Metal" in September 2019. You can check out a part of the conversation below.
I was watching one of your streams and you were talking about the fact that you are now a free agent in the guitar market. You were with Ibanez for a lot of years. What made you want to leave Ibanez?
"You know, I've always been into guitars. I have a big guitar collection. I don't even know how many I have, maybe 200, I haven't kept track after a while.
"I have Jackson guitars, PRS guitars, a number of different brands beyond Ibanez. I've always been really interested in guitar building. For me, it's really important for my guitars to grow with me. I need them to be able to do what I need them to do at the time.
"A guitar is a tool for me, it's a tool for the job of being a musician. Ibanez aren't able to make me the tool that I need to do my job. If I don't have the tool to do my job, I'm out of a job.
"So the only way to do it is I need to evolve the guitar. I have been speaking to a number of builders and companies to see who can make me the next level-up, guitar, that will blow everything I have been playing out of the water. I have these ideas but you've got to make it a reality. That's it."
So, at this point, you're still testing the waters out there. You had some custom PRS, a 27-fret ESP, even a Stratocaster. What are you looking for in a new guitar? What are some things you want to be able to do with it?
"I've spoken to companies and I say, 'Look, if I'm sitting down playing the guitar or if I'm just standing still on stage with the guitar strapped up by my chin, it doesn't really matter what I play, that much.'
"Because I can always play it in my most comfortable positions as if I'm sitting down playing at home. But I'm jumping around, flying around, jumping off stage, running up massive arcade machines and I have to be able to play the guitar without looking.
"So I need something that is, physically, going to be part of my body - something I don't even need to think about playing and I need to be able to play it at all kinds of different angles while performing – doing poses and all these kinds of things. So I need to be able to access all the frets at all angles.
"It also needs to be the right weight and the right sound. So, I'm a total pain in the ass – that's it, really. So, I've asked these companies, 'Can you make me the guitar that I want?', and a lot of people have been up for it.
"A lot of people said yes but they couldn't do it, later on. There are lots of talented builders and great companies out there. So we'll see who can make me the best guitar. That's who I'll sign up to in the end and make that guitar."
I would imagine you've been able to experiment quite a bit. Have you tried out any multi-scale guitars or pickups or neck shapes that you've found particularly interesting?
"Pretty much everything. The more information and knowledge I can take in, the better it is for me.
"I've explored some multi-scale guitars. I've been trying every single bridge there is out there that is going to keep in tune for me - different modifications and variations of every roller bride, Floyd Rose, all the Ibanez bridges - I know the advantages and disadvantages.
"I've been trying the Sophia Bridge, which is another updated system. All the existing double locking and roller bridges... I'm just trying everything at the moment.
"I tried a 27-fret guitar from ESP, I've spoken to Caparison and they're going to send me their guitars to try. I have a custom BC Rich that is absolutely out of this world. They put it together for me in a month.
"The PRS I have here is just insane - it's a Private Stock so it's not like anything you've seen PRS make before. So, we've got some guitars here that are amazing and they're hard to beat.
"It's been really good for me because I get to learn and it's good for them because they're getting some promotion out of me because I'm testing them out live on stream and on tour. So I beat the shit out of these guitars. There is no mercy on them. They've got to hold up."
You get pretty wild on stage. Have you had many on-stage accidents?
"One of my guitars, the headstock broke in two because at the end of the shows, I throw the guitar and one time I threw it too high and it went over the head of the guitar tech and didn't quite get caught.
"I don't view them as accidents – I'm taking the risk on stage with certain moves. I don't feel it's perfect each time – sometimes I'll throw a flying knee into it and hope to catch it when it bounces back off the strap and I'm not in Cirque du Soleil and I can't make these moves perfectly every time.
"But it's OK because people get to see a show that's unique each time. But things happen to the guitars sometimes. That's part of the reason I'm so demanding in what I want for a guitar, you're not going to just throw me a guitar and have me sign off on it, it's just not going to happen like that."
Fortunately, the guitar market out there is pretty diverse compared to when we started playing. I heard that you're left-handed but you play guitar right-handed. Was that because of a lack of lefty guitars when you were starting out?
"No. To be honest, I write with my left hand but I'm right-footed and I throw the basketball with my right hand. So I'm kind of [ambidextrous] so when I picked up the guitar that was just the first feeling I had was to play it that way.
"There wasn't much conscious thought put into it like, 'I'm going to be a rockstar so I need to play a right-handed guitar otherwise the market will be small.' I wasn't thinking that."
I've also heard you say, in your streams, that you weren't a very quick learner. I think everyone has encountered struggles on their journey learning to play guitar. What helped you push through those challenges?
"I think even in school, there are people you'll see who are really good at stuff and they don't need to practice or study, they just always pass the exam. Some people are half asleep in class and they don't really care.
"I'm not that guy. I'm the guy who has to work to get it. The only way to get it is to practice and practice. While the super talented guys, they can do it while they're getting drunk.
"I'm not that guy. I think most of us aren't that guy and we don't need to hate those guys, we just need to practice and focus our energy on that. That's really how I did it."
What does your practice routine look like these days?
"These days, I practice on stream and it challenges you on a different level. Can you talk and play at the same time? Can you read your chat at the same time? Can you belly-rub your dog with your foot while you play a guitar solo while on a stream?
"So I do silly stuff like that. I'll rub my dog's belly with my foot while he's laying on his back while I'm trying to do the guitar solo to a DragonForce song. It challenges your mind so you can play with all the distractions so that when you play on stage, you're able to perform.
"I think there are so many great guitar players that you see on YouTube and on social media and their technique is awesome but they have never really played outside that perfect environment at home with a camera.
"Some are specialists in making really good videos, and that's really cool but playing on stage is a different skill that you have to learn. It requires you to think differently.
"So I'm just spreading the word that this is another way to practice and this will help you when you play on stage one day. But you still need to play on stage to really know the feeling of what it's like when you're playing outside your perfect environment."
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