Herman Li DRAGONFORCE & Javier Reyes ANIMALS AS LEADERS Shred Talk

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Shred Talk! Guitar hang with Herman Li (DragonForce) and Javier Reyes (Animals As Leaders, Mestis). What do you think of Javier's 8 string signature guitar with ESP vs Ibanez RG 8 String guitars? Check out Javier's links and socials
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IN THIS VIDEO
ESP LTD Javier Reyes Signature Guitar
Fishman Fluence Javier Reyes amzn.to/3jTiC3k
HERMAN LI LIVESTREAM SETUP
Herman’s insane $300 hairbrush bit.ly/2ZNz7UO
Strings - D’Addario NYXL amzn.to/3gyTjR4
D'Addario Guitar Picks amzn.to/3hu93p5
Guitar Maintenance Kit amzn.to/2JyAcf2
Lewitt Microphone amzn.to/2PyDT3W
Mission Expression Pedal amzn.to/2O0GfYz
Morley 20/20 Wah amzn.to/2VUnF8R
Kemper Profiler bit.ly/2VWcDQC
Kemper Rack bit.ly/2Di6LKX
MIDI Pedalboard amzn.to/3feqpEQ
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PC Keyboard amzn.to/3gB7BAC
Mouse amzn.to/2EfGA8c
WebCam (main) amzn.to/2ZGHxO0
WebCam (side) amzn.to/2Dhz38o
Stream Deck amzn.to/2ZEUW98
Ferrari Dog Bed amzn.to/2BJvWpi
LIVESTREAM GUITAR COLLECTION
PRS Custom 24 Floyd amzn.to/30GC1eG
PRS Herman Li Custom Private Stock (one-of-a-kind)
Hercules 1 guitar stand amzn.to/2O39R7y
Hercules 3 guitar stand amzn.to/2VSsgsm
Hercules 5 guitar stand amzn.to/3iDwayY
TOURING ESSENTIALS
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[@cedricwager181]

Javier was my classmate in college and we were both music majors. He told me he was having a custom 8-string guitar made and I replied that will never be a thing. I guess I was so wrong.

[@TheSunMoon]

You made a wager and you lost. Kidding mate! It's amazing that he was your classmate!

[@cedricwager181]

@@TheSunMoon it was a dope 8-string that was based off of Warwick basses

[@danzouph1695]

It will be so funny if he mentions this on his future interviews 🤣

[@DeathBringer769]

Reminds me of a story my dad told me of back in the day when he was in college. Some chick was telling him Led Zeppelin was just a fad going to fade away soon and that disco was "real music" that would last forever, lol.

[@fatsuperfly]

Lol. It is and isn’t ? So both right

[@Raittarian]

Man, Herman ghosting Tosin for groupies is just lore heaven for us fans.

[@magusking9215]

Pretty sure it involves a lot of guitar geek fanboys asking questions about string gauge tho - this ain't the 90s anymore

[@dragonforce]

LOL!!

[@mr.b111]

Gotta practice those tongue slides x)

[@rogermuniz7066]

Tosin and Javier are both the most humble guitarists. I went to an AAL concert years ago when I first heard about them. Tosin was stringing his own guitar on a table in the parking lot out back. I got down took a pic with him and said my buddies couldn't make it. He said "They probably had something better to do." Went into the venue, Javier was manning their cd booth. He had his signature beard with the salt and pepper. I'm 49 now. I said I thought y'all were kids. Javier says, "Nah, we're grown ass men." Saw them years later in Dallas. They walked right passed me, I gave them each a bro handshake like we were old friends. Incredible guitarists and great guys.

[@curtisunit]

I watched a short interview with Tosin and he said that one of his biggest influences is the unreal guitar player in his band. These guys together are mental.

[@reisselpud]

Man, I love Javier ❤️ Mestis need more fans

[@Booxbred]

After first hearing Mestis live, I definitely thought they were more my jam than AAL - a lot more melodic and listenable and less rhythmic and riffy, in my opinion.

[@Iheartdgd]

His gold S-style 8 string is so damn beautiful

[@nomadenview]

Javier Reyes is monster player.... Really love his skill... Please stop compare his playing with tosin... Everybody got their own way

[@adamjones6252]

Did anyone else not realise they were in the same room until the last few seconds?

[@USAAMERICAFUCKYEAH77]

Lol you haven't watched many of his streams huh ? .it happens man 😎

[@cosmicsea89]

The simplest chordal passages Javier plays are full of emotion and feel

[@johnbach2380]

Hey hey now... dino was a big boy. And he got that ibanez signature. Hahaha.

[@alwan1414]

Hmm, now he’s on ormsby

[@DeathBringer769]

@@alwan1414 True, but the point still stands that he was with Ibanez for years.

[@Degeneraion]

@@DeathBringer769 Yeah, I think he was with Ibanez for like 2 decades until he got a sig

[@Emoboijeffrey]

Herman be the joe rogan of these guitar videos. Always have cool guests coming on!

[@redacted5035]

LOL in the first 3 minutes Javier openly talks about stealing money from his family's small business...and Herman admits to ghosting Tosin because he wanted to focus on groupies and thought he looked like a dork 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@PhoenixDecim]

Javier is so fun to be around I guess.

[@ooferrell]

Around like 2010 or 11 when animals as leaders was just now popping off here they came the Charleston South Carolina for a small show at a small rig that my buddy booked for them the play at his venue and I got to talk to and have conversation with Javier and he's a really chill dude. Before they came to that venue I think a couple days before Lauren Hill had a performance at the music farm that I missed and I was kind of pissed off at and Javier was also kind of pissed that he missed it because he didn't know about it lol. His 8 string was the first i ever held in my hands already being a 7 string player. The next few shows he actually recognized me when I came through and actually talk to me which was dope. I kinda wish he would remember this but at a show in myrtle beach they did i started pop locking in the middle of one of their songs and after the song was over tosin announced that Javier saw this guy dancing in the mosh and it was his first time ever seeing someone dance to their music like that and turns out it was me lol. They put the spot light on me and everything lol. good times.

[@PhoenixDecim]

@@ooferrell haha such a cool dude. Thanks for sharing your story

[@fxexpert4541]

Ibanez doesnt endorse fatty Mick Thompson: Hold my beer

[@ImDatOoz]

Dino toe

[@AntagonistInPhoenix]

Javi’s a treasure. Great interview Herman

[@thunderbrd]

Me: Waiting for the musician to start shredding during the intro 🎸

[@nuke97]

When it comes to AAL live shows Javier is doing nearly all the heavy duty work on guitar while Tosin does the leads. Saw it for myself.

[@KnightmareFrame92]

Both are extremely complex in their own right, I wouldn't imply that one is necessarily better than the other, I think they are both pioneers of 8-string complex prog metal.

[@nobodylovesme3743]

They are both extremely complex Except tosin is impossible And I can do Javier’s

[@onyx666.]

Um…yeah?? He’s a rhythm guitarist, that’s his job?? 😂😂 you’re surprised that he’s doing his job?

[@sebastiansegovia1415]

@@KnightmareFrame92 Mestis is better than AAL so... Yeah Javier is king dickumz.

[@zomuz3685]

He is an amazing guitarist!! With latin roots!!

[@ghgodsexposed]

This was a sick interview! Thanks Herman and Javier!

[@freezingjazzy]

Bro. I live like 15 minutes away from Chuck Levin's however I never buy anything there because my budget is around $500 and finding something decent for $500 is hard. It's cool to know that the gods of prog hung out in Maryland.

[@ryanshreevedrums]

Maryland is a bit of a Hub for prog music. Periphery, Anup Sastry, Alex Rudinger, all from Maryland

[@Terminusz]

@@ryanshreevedrums we love prog ❤️! Great local scene too!

[@vhcxhbvg]

Try Harley benton

[@Nicolais21]

Ustedes son asombrosos 👍👍

[@DaNinjaWalrus]

i got the blue jr-208 signature with the stimulus check lmao. love that thing.

[@AndoSan69]

javier yuuuup. Super good advice on thumping! Its short and simple and to the point. LISTEN TO HIM YALL

[@Grim08]

Javier is such an awesome dude..

[@BaritonePapi]

Holy fuck that 8 string strat is gorgeous 😭

[@jacktrainor4236]

Straight up thought that was Benjamin Byron Davis (Dutch from RDR2)😂👏

[@nagasentertainment2433]

Full support from northeast India

[@IzZyRaWr]

8:44 Yaaaay! "Hace Tiempo" !!! (:

[@dreammachine86]

Didn't know that Javier did online lessons, that's cool! Pretty tempted to book one, trying to learn some of the thumping & fingerpicking techniques currently and it is pretty damn hard. Maybe Herman would have a head start on that stuff if he was successful in chasing those groupies 😇 Power move showing off the fancy ESP Japanese custom shop versions of his signature models...i.e. not the ones anyone would be able to realistically buy. I saw AAL for the first time a couple months ago and they were incredible...just amazing musicians. I think I recall Javier having a zebra finish on his Fishmans in one of the guitars he used that night. The LTD version of that 8 string Strat is on my wishlist (he used that one live too and it sounded great) but that would be way too much guitar for me currently. Next year maybe!

[@deadhoneybadger1723]

love Javier's playing!!

[@ahmadfarisrosli7597]

I love the fact that Javier picked the Mystique body shape because the body shape is so unique and exclusive to ESP.

[@westpapua8941]

Betul

[@russellzauner]

I'm here a day late and still nobody is talking about the gold 8 string custom vintage plus ESP? I remember pricing that trem once and it was just just just just...eep. Sweet tho. Good chat.

[@russellzauner]

9:05 okay there it is ha ha ha I love that thing so much, it's so freaking sweet...it just sings.

[@Iheartdgd]

One of my favorite guitars. It’s just OG 8 string Floyd though, gold plated.

[@chucklenuts6976]

I want Herman and Guthrie to play together! 🤘🏼

[@zakktothefuture]

Herman, fucking amazing questions dude. I can't explain how great this video is.

[@connorcampbell144]

Javier: I just casually stole a lot of money from my parents to buy my guitar Me: Yeah that's just a casual thing to do; sounds like you do it everyday🤣

[@arieltabuzojr2434]

I mean aren't we all do that shit lol

[@Armed-Otter]

@@arieltabuzojr2434 My mother stole my money from the bank when i was a kid. Then she buyed clothes (for me) from that money and handed them me over as a gift at my birthday. So i would say: Some of do it and never stop. :D

[@crusaderthefork]

This is great! Keep going.

[@dohkolibradragon575]

hopefully one day they will make a video showing how to play the song fury of the storm

[@brambram6794]

Please shred talk with Midori and Miyako from Lovebites. I know you already play together, but we want more XD

[@faded.pastel]

what an absolute master musician!

[@toemasmeems]

“MAN Tosin I hate my parents, they make me take these stupid lessons all the time. but yeah bro you can have this 7 string I get free money from the parents all the time” ;))) hahahahahah

[@Jongshi20]

High time you did it with syn

[@satyricon86]

Wasnt dino cazares from fear factory, endorsed by ibanez and had a signature series

[@jeremiahsmith5565]

Yes he used to be

[@welowee7610]

Scott steiner : he’s fat!! Ibanez : agree

[@nipulkradmsinatagras8293]

*Javier Reyes* is definitely one of my influences in switching to an *8-string guitar* alongside *Tosin Abasi, Dino Cazares* & of course *the Meshuggah boys.*

[@Rxbandit421]

Wasn’t awake the first dream theater album with a seven string? That’s their third album

[@projectgoatse]

No one talks about that first album.

[@silentjav]

Immediately, I was like "Well ACTUALLY", but I get it. Hell, WDADU isn't even available on streaming services.

[@MyDemon32]

@@silentjav it is! On Spotify

[@silentjav]

@@MyDemon32 Hmmm, I wonder if it's blocked in the US then, cuz it won't let me play it. 🤔

[@MetalheadNation]

I live in America, and I don’t think WDADU was available on streaming (or on iTunes Store) until quite recently, maybe the last year or two. I think it had something to do with the rights to the album (which I’m still unsure of tbh), but I’m glad they finally got it up for more people to hear. It’s a genuinely great album, just not on the same level as the rest of their work.

[@Dakota-cz5od]

I wonder what Javi was referring to when he was describing the struggles of working with tosin, they were being pretty vague.

[@Silentassassins229]

anyone else just waiting for herman to play the bass since davie already played bass underwater?

[@fatsuperfly]

This was an awesome interview

[@louleone3447]

These guys are cool.

[@benharbak]

I spy a Caparison. Beautiful guitars.

[@sigiligus]

I played with his signature model at a music store once. I didn't even know it was a signature model, but by God was it beautiful and I've wanted one ever since. Oh yeah, I don't have one because it's $4500

[@RichardGarcia93]

Wait what? Javier’s models are like $2k tops I believe.

[@bannedintheuk]

I want that 8 string Strat!

[@AlfredNazGates]

Guitar necklace thats a good way of putting it. I wonder if he gets tired like I do with the guitars strapped that high. I've been thinking about switching to a double strap or waist strap from slinger / neotech straps.

[@123Irwing]

Petrucci played a 7 string on the third album, Awake. Not the second one, Scenes...

[@dennisrobert8429]

Awesome Job!

[@andrewwhitmore8756]

Deadass thought the thumbnail said, "Ibanez doesn't endorse fat pp!!" Lol

[@Joe_Karably]

The irony here is Tosin has gone on record several times saying that Jav is the superior player between the two lol.

[@sonicgauge1]

That gold strat, that's the one..

[@phoenixzzz0]

Javier as q from ipj🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@agony664]

WTH I've been to that store! Wow!

[@whoawtf7419]

Can anyone name that riff @10:21? It sounds extremely familiar but I can't place it

[@shangurila7]

So apparently Tosin is some kind of diva. Genius guitarist tho.

[@ggh_-ts6pn]

lol its not surprising at all. I see how he dress and immediately think he's a diva

[@aidilmubarock5394]

What? I thought the conversation were about Tosin being a klutz, they even giving example of him not knowing where he place backing track in his laptop when he had been sent the same files multiple times.

[@antoniorosales6965]

great🤘😎

[@zachmays4272]

cool video

[@davidjames9424]

I thought this was the guy that voiced dutch in rdr2 for a sec 💀

[@ChawShaka]

I want Javier to be my best friend.

[@MaxTer]

Magnífico

[@DavidMadeira29]

I once wanted to jump a snow cat but I don't see myself as the next 007...

[@benlee1759]

Try to remake fire and flames

[@DJCD92162095]

👍ESP GUITARS THE BEST THERE IS! 👍ESP GUITARS THE BEST THERE WAS! 👍ESP GUITARS THE BEST THERE EVER WILL BE!

[@northernlefty5412]

I love my USA ESP but the Ibanez neck profile is so much faster in my hands.

[@incitatus634]

Caparison

[@westpapua8941]

Ibanez is the best for me

[@feebypeels2883]

ESP ain't got the jam! Ibanez is the excellence of execution! 😁

[@konradchudy1491]

Wait. What? What about Dino Cazares?

[@ehambright]

Noice!!

[@Lycam]

Read: shrek talk

[@GuillermoSmyser]

That was in the full live stream, that part was cut out for time.

[@ericvalverderosado2046]

That comment on Ibanez was hilarious hahahaahahahahaj, them fackers 🤣🤣🤣, but damn Meshuggah are old hags with beer bellies and will be sponsored forever! And idk why…but i find it way more satisfying when Javier plays cleans…when Tosin does im like: yeah, that bewitched thumb…now how he’s gonna show off? Tone will sound like a terribly noisy single coil pickup again? The Neck pickup in his set sounds really nice…like the warmth and the elegance of it’s sound…tho wonder how it sounds with Chorus…in “djent” they only mess with Delay and Reverb…still a lovely sound

[@hardrockrelics2157]

That’s not true DINO CAZARES had a Ibanez sig...

[@thetroll8655]

What’s the model of the gold esp?

[@Raittarian]

It’s sadly a one-off custom

[@thetroll8655]

@@Raittarian well damnit. I guess I’ll have to make my own

[@reize444]

ISAO also have signature 8-string ESP Snapper that u might be interested with if u into that 8 string strat type.

[@alexandergonzalez9375]

Salute me herman :3 pls

[@JesseDKangas]

Dino had a signature Ibanez.

[@westpapua8941]

But he got the sig after playing Ibanez for decades

[@anggiatmartua3287]

I almost saw all your videos .. and only Fingerstyle Alif Ba ta, who had the biggest viewers .. why don't you continue?

[@thatanti-egoguy]

YOU MEAN FROM MESTIS

[@beurksman]

Waiting for them to mention the dinosaur in the room

[@danielsgrunge]

LMAO "ESP supports fat rights"

[@ricardoalonsoparedesruiz1149]

7.58 min sounds like a kid speaking or its my imagination jejeje

[@nazmetv]

He looks like q from impractical jokers

[@fabmsrohfm2593]

You are wrong! Ibanez endorses a fat guy the Júnior Bass Groovador (who plays with Jack Black of the Tenacious D)

[@Zakariah1971]

the Dream Theater second album is IAW. Proof he is not a DT fan. Fail.

[@Motoroil555]

I was born in 2005😂

[@blakkmoon]

you should had gone to Solar, ;)

[@RicardoSilva-hk2er]

Imagine if he never had stolen from his parents...

[@TheSonsofHorusx]

define 'fat'

[@projectgoatse]

Regardless of the definition, I don’t think Ibanez should be allowed to define it.

[@TheSonsofHorusx]

@@projectgoatse oh I was just making a point about how they had Dino Cazeres on for like 20 years. Hes about half the height of Javier and 3x the weight xP but I get hes making a joke

[@westpapua8941]

@@TheSonsofHorusx and Dino only played Ibanez customs for decades. He just got his sig a couple of years ago, but he decided to quit Ibanez too.

[@krthkh]

What the hell, his father gets him piano and guitar lessons by himself without being asked, and later he steals money from parents to buy guitars, wtf lol

[@TheMindfulOne]

Herman Li sounds like Ali G. sry

[@r.c.christian1198]

Damn should we all cancel Ibanez now that we know they don't support "fat" musicians? lol

[@Zakariah1971]

Speaking of John Petrucci this is why musicians must NOT give interviews.... Who gives a damn about "voice 1 and voice2." I am not buying this guitar. Where is Charvel? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[@projectgoatse]

Welp. I’m never buying another Ibanez guitar again. Can’t believe the AR guy would fat shame an artist like that.

[@northernlefty5412]

Fat shame? Lol. Sure.

[@projectgoatse]

@@northernlefty5412 telling someone that you’re too fat for an endorsement is literally fat shaming. It’s got nothing to do with his ability on the instrument.

[@northernlefty5412]

@@projectgoatse because we know for sure ibanez chose not to endorse because of his weight? And if so, who cares? They can choose their artist roster and who they want to represent the brand. Not sure why anyone jumps on the fat shaming bandwagon.

[@Ghost17110]

@@northernlefty5412 why do you feel the need to defend a fat shaming AR rep, you won’t be getting any free guitars from it

[@dylanwillis1473]

@@northernlefty5412 Just because Ibanez can choose to not endorse fat people doesn't make it right.

[@MaverickMustaine]

7 strings is way enough buddy

[@vicentegarcia9520]

Ibanez suck. They always have neck warping issues, and they use cheap wood for their guitars.

[@DaTLMusic]

everything else>ibanez>fender

[@maripuzziello]

I really don’t like “animals as leaders” songs, a lot of notes without felling

[@ilham7345]

try para mexer

[@penguindrum264]

I hate when my music doesn't have any felling. No telling why though.