How to Make a Living Playing Heavy Metal with Herman Li DragonForce & Misha Mansoor Periphery

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Shred Talk! DragonForce guitarist @Herman Li and Periphery guitar player Misha Mansoor discuss how to survive the music business world in 2020 playing heavy metal, power metal, progressive metal, djent metal. How do YOU see the music industry is going? Is it harder and harder for musicians to make a living out of only playing in a band?
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IN THIS VIDEO
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
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Lewitt Microphone amzn.to/2PyDT3W
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Morley 20/20 Wah amzn.to/2VUnF8R
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WebCam (main) amzn.to/2ZGHxO0
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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
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TOURING ESSENTIALS
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[@sagarock1012]

The real talk for all aspiring musicians to know about

[@justacynic]

This is a freaking EPIC life coaching session that applies to *anyone*. Wow. So much to think about.

[@paulabernethy8396]

That was a great conversation. I played for 9 years in a cover band and made a bit of money (paid for all my gear in cash) it was a great few years but I eventually threw in the towel when it stopped being fun and the rest of the band were stressing out at every gig for different reasons. I am currently getting a Celtic Rock band together and I am letting in grow and evolve organically (I am in no rush even though I am 46) as I want the right people to get involved for the right reasons and not because they feel they have to. I want the music to be fun and energetic. This has been a whole new venture for me as a guitarist, as currently I am the one doing all the songwriting (something that is new to me, at least from the Celtic Rock aspect of things) and I am having to learn and understand how to write for the vocals more so than the guitar. I am loving the challenge and have been watching heaps of videos about songwriting and structures. So for me this is the fun part about the band, the challenges of growing as a musician and also being the “Leader” of the band at this stage. lol The other aspect I am working on is that this is not “My” project but everyone who is involved has an equal investment within the band. If someone has a great idea, I want to hear it and develop it. This will obviously take time but that is my main vision for this project. To have a fun, energetic band that writes and performs for the music as a whole and not to showcase any one person.

[@mastrebliw4179]

Really interesting perspective, because i feel like theres a lot of passionate people who dreams of having their hobby as a job and would never know (or choose not to believe) about these things. I really liked his approach as someone who has experienced the industry themselves and has made a lot of great and bad choices to ultimately come this far.

[@firmans12]

True. I heard this topic before from coffee with ola. Thank to Misha. He opened the truth about that kind of music nowadays. And if you still want to be a musician in that genre and still making money, he told to have a backup plan for making money bcs the industry. I think its a great info, bcs young guy dreaming to play in a rock band and hoping to be a Rockstar and imagined it was like in the 80s where rockstar makes lots of money, but now it's not really. Rarely see a musician opened up a topic about this. Thank to Misha honesty

[@Merolero7]

I’ve worked in a few recording studios throughout my life and when the owners are musicians or previous band members, you know their plan was that: to build a place where they could continue to do what they do out of love without financial restraints, and rent the studio in the meantime so the dream can sustain itself.

[@ancientdeeds6634]

@OMINOID Aaaah, Yes

[@einarthormodster95]

Please continue this channel, Herman! I love to see talented people having fun with music! Love you, and your playing, Love from Norway

[@jordanhaliday295]

I really appreciate how transparent Misha is on a topic that doesn't get enough recognition. Maybe the content he's talking about isn't the same, but it reminds me of how Yvette talks about darker subjects in the hope that it will make a difference for someone.

[@J3unG]

Awesome vid. Please keep talking about practical music industry practices. A lot of people who watch your channel are very young, impressionable and hopeful about the music business. The music BUSINESS is an evil, evil thing and information like this is one of the only ways young musicians can navigate that world. Thank you and here's to your inevitable milestone of 1 MILLION users.

[@themobseat]

At .007 a stream, a band that has 100,000 streams makes a total of $700.00. After taxes that's $600.00, divided by 5 guys that's $120.00 each, and that doesn't include recording costs of the track.

[@samfirehair6407]

Yo, i just calculated with the average total of subscribers and average streams per subscribers every month. They could bring it up to 0.02$ per stream and they would still make over 400 mil per month. They really need to up the price they pay musicians.

[@Jagvillboienhatt]

@@samfirehair6407 Spotify still doesn't turn a profit. The ones profiting are those who've bought stocks and sold them, the company itself isn't actually making any money.

[@TybudX]

@@Jagvillboienhatt That's the whole point of streaming platforms for most investors. The more they can drive down the costs of creatives in any field the more money they can make in the long run.

[@buzzy-ears]

...on top of the donations and pledges they can set up, which would be the real meat

[@kronedog]

Misha's not just a really talented and awesome musician but he's very smart as well, a lot of good stuff to take from this video.

[@runescaper1333]

I like that they're facing each other in chat

[@williamchristensen7354]

Honestly, transitioning into being an influencer is a good move at this stage. Just being wholesome and chill on camera between tours helps with fan engagement.

[@th6n]

Wait, reaction coach Herman Li has a band? Btw he kinda looks like the Asian guy from guitar hero

[@verumdoctrina4215]

Herman Li's hair is a band.

[@haiguyzimnew]

What's up KZbin, it's your boy Dylan, I'm a reaction coach, and today I'm going to be reacting to reaction coach reacts to reaction

[@guichaky3918]

Hahahahahahaha in this video we are gonna be reacting to reactesses of reaction coach reacting to reaction without further to do lets get in to it!

[@th6n]

@@haiguyzimnew Ah yes, my favourite youtuber, the maestro himself

[@JoseRamirez-qi4sw]

Yeah, Hermanforce. You should check them out lol.

[@haiguyzimnew]

I'm actually very interested in knowing how Marc is doing. He has a Chemistry degree (if I remember right) so I'm guessing he's leveraging that. What about Sam? Making fish and chips?

[@djerr_bear]

Mark has a chemistry degree? That’s really cool!

[@GuillermoSmyser]

Leveraging any kind of degree is tough. I can't imagine what an undergraduate in chemistry does for you other than any other "I finished college" degree.

[@finnancahill2644]

@@djerr_bear I think he means from veil btw

[@haiguyzimnew]

@@finnancahill2644 no, I don't. Marc told me he has a Chemistry degree (something about thermo dynamics) and he can speak German. I watched him speak German. This was in the the 1st leg of the DragonForce/Kamelot tour. I spoke to him myself.

[@finnancahill2644]

@@haiguyzimnew AHh different mark

[@AustinPeters]

This was helpful to hear, I'd love to see more interviews with more musicians talking about how to generate other forms of income within the context of music while maintaining a band or an artist name.

[@metal-adjacent]

Such an important message to hear. Even if you've heard it or know it, the more it can sink in the better. Great talk!

[@gustavoaraujo6923]

Almost 900k subscribers!!!

[@fraterlemuele.s.l.d.6435]

This is the best time to be watching this,I grew up listening to DragonForce then my music evolved into Periphery and now Boom!20 years later on a podcast teaching!Kinda miss Periphery on FB you guys Trolling on The Facebook Comments on other trolls lol

[@TheDavalope]

I have always heard...The surest way to lose interest in the things you love is to do them for money....so if you do it because you love it and make your main income from other things then you will always love it, and in time, the money may come anyway. Good video Dragonforce !

[@Khunvyel]

There is a slight difference to it though. Only because you love something or dream about doing something doesn't mean you're actually good at it. You just enjoy it. If you are good at what you do AND you love it, it means you have to spend less time to get the same results as someone who isn't as apt. The less time you have to spend to get it done means the less exhausting it is on you (ignoring mental and physical endurance thresholds). There are people who are good at what they are doing but they don't particularly enjoy it. It's just a skill they acquired that is stuck with them and it can pay the bills. Then they do that, work it down, have their money, and that frees them up mentally to do something else on the side. Especially when they can make a better living with less hours with the thing they don't particularly enjoy, BECAUSE they're good at it, can sell it like that, and it pays better for less hours. Anyone who wants to make money with music, even including touring, has to not sell the product, they have to sell their personality and they also have to be smart about how they spread their music and open venues for the listeners. If you only want to make music to be enjoyed by others, please don't even think about making profit from it. Do it as a high quality, high standard hobby, and get the income for your basic living elsewhere.

[@tedbundy8082]

Basically what he’s saying is follow your dreams realistically, I agree.

[@cjleongson]

More of this pleaseeeee. This kind of topics. Money businesses real life, making it, actually living sustainably

[@DEllisMusic]

This was amazing. I burnt out hard on music because I did way too much with it for too long and couldn’t touch it for years. Turned to another passion of mine to pay the bills (aviation) and now I can do music whenever and however I want without having to worry about it putting food on the table. Way better that way.

[@dracohimself]

As a kind of semi professional musician I am actually very surprised that musicians dont seem to be worried much about the future. At least it looks that way to me. I mean, not that worrying helps much, but these measures are seriously killing the music scene, and it doesn't look like it's going to end anytime soon. I personally cant really enjoy beeing at a concert and take more care to stick to some strange rules than to enjoy the actual concert. But I guess for well known bands the situation is a little different, but hmm, dont know really

[@paulmdevenney]

maybe bands that have been famous and didn't spend their money as fast as they got it might be in a more comfortable position, but there are very few bands, even highly famous ones "sitting on millions".

[@scottdavey3804]

That is because well known bands are rich and don't need to worry about money. That is the difference between you and them

[@stevechalmers9572]

Same here....entire 30 year scene destroyed...Bright sides been doing worldwide open jam nights online drinkin with the same like minded folk

[@xXxThelegend27xXx]

Basically: if you’re looking to be a musician, don’t quit your day job lmao

[@TheLastCrankers]

is that the new jared dines sterling sig misha's holding?

[@qtdrummer2306]

Some seriously sound advice, good stuff!

[@MuttleyGameTube]

Always nice thoughts from Misha!

[@maiastraa]

Damn i really love this Talk show!

[@stuforty2]

Interesting interview 😀

[@paulmdevenney]

I played in a popular (if not amazing) cover band at Uni a long time back now. I remember that we were happy because we had covered the costs of all the kit we'd bought to do the gigs with. The fact that we'd been enabled to play those fun gigs was enough. Happy times.

[@woodward_alan]

Great advise. Many parallels to other careers and passions

[@Leo_69]

That Abasi guitar leaning against the wall😱

[@AceBambam]

So this is what misha was saying in rick's video to "Diversify"

[@AMACHiiBiong]

very insightful talk.

[@leonerdothe13th32]

Herman on the new Periphery album...? Fingers crossed

[@thorsten_cit]

I just think it's weird how Misha never mentions in these sorts of interviews, that no one would be interested in his products (signature amp, pedals, GGD, toneforge, jackson guitars) if he had not made a name for himself as a great musician in (his "hobby") Periphery and Bulb. I still do agree with everything he's saying about diversifying your income streams, but I think the reason he's getting hate is because he makes it seem like these businesses would work without being in one of the most successful modern progressive metal bands. Still absolutely love his entrepreneur attitude though.

[@benjaminbjam]

Musicians would still be interested in the products. If the product is good, people will still be interested, Regardless. The notoriety helps him sell the product, but that doesn't mean no one would be interested.

[@majesticpbjcat7707]

I don't think he needs to mention that in interviews and I'm sure it's not lost on him. Who cares if that's how he got started. He became successful. That's all that matters. Everybody has to get there from somewhere.

[@Linkmitch]

i'm pretty sure he did, I don't remember the exact quote but he did say Periphery is a 'launchpad' for the various products that the members use to market their products and services

[@CB_ChaosLove]

Definitely a fan of Misha!

[@Metaldad87]

I love this, people don't like to hear the truth alot of times but I love it cuz I'd rather know the truth than get my hopes up about something and be disappointed.

[@alfiesolomon3531]

Real Talk. Thank you Misha

[@MrScrofulous]

Cool chats. :) "There is always a cost".......truer words were never spoken.

[@BrianBower]

This was a great video Herman and Misha!

[@motbus3]

i think misha got the point where many bands fail. you starting doing it for fun but suddenly everybody is your boss and you got things to do and the thing that made you happy makes you sad

[@stevechalmers9572]

As a drummer, don't tell my band I watch guitar videos.

[@deadheadliving]

😂😂

[@wilksy2008]

Musician first, drummer second? 🤔 👀

[@DaviDamir]

when Misha speaks theres a ''snake jazz'' effect.......fucking cool....ccsss ccs ccs ccsss ccs ccs ccsss

[@moreblack]

So parents were right all along, have a plan B if you're gonna go into music.

[@GuyFromSomeWorld]

But what if I can't play heavy metal with Herman Li DragonForce & Misha Mansoor Periphery?

[@nukichu3933]

I like this interview

[@denniskoore]

Is Misha going for that p3 hair with 2020 beard? Looking sick

[@jesseparrish9198]

Sick ass B.C. Rich guitars I see 👀

[@peakxv2246]

They need to do something like "How to write a Helloween song in 10 minutes" and then Herman Li is with Kai Hansen just jamming

[@erickpodesta1360]

Perfect...!!

[@oneshows9276]

Its perfectly timed that they are talking about making a living while being in a band/during covid, and then herman being banned from twitch. Its most likely copyright. Hope you can get your channel back as fast as possible.

[@captaindkguitar]

Where is bass in backgound.

[@rhmm96]

Awesome perspective!

[@HenrikLien]

Check out my 10 minutes DragonForce song, guys!

[@carolynparker3432]

I grew up with a musician father. He was incapable of doing anything besides music. He was married and had 5 kids. He started off during the depression playing piano in churches and playing in bars starting at 13-14 years old. He joined the air force band during world war 11 and played in some of the major big bands. He played piano and trumpet and french horn. He went to Princeton Choir College and got his masters-he somehow managed to get a BA during the war? He taught music in universities, grammar and high schools, played pipe organ and directed church choirs, taught students privately and played in night clubs. He was a conductor. He even played with the Grateful Dead on one of their albums. However, he was hopeless in every other respect. He once had a job driving a school bus but was fired because he would fall asleep driving the bus. That was his only job he ever did that was not music related. If there was a new instrument he would learn it. He loved the moog synthesizer, learned sarod at Ali Akbar School. He loved to play rock, classical, jazz. If he heard that a group was jamming somewhere, he would show up to listen or to sit in. My mother was a stay at home mother so all the money in the household came from my father. I always assume musicians who make a living in music have no choice because they can't do anything else in their life.

[@manleyfgc7981]

Musicians include teachers whom teach both private lessons as well as general Music classes, theory, aural skills, conducting and so much more. Musicians include performers whether it be opera, symphonies or broadway. Musicians include music therapists that are trained to help people with disabilities or ailments through the power of music. I know you don’t mean this with any ill will but it’s an insult for me to read someone saying I couldn’t do anything else. Once you go through years of college for music it makes you so well rounded in so many things. You aren’t just a lazy idiot that can’t do anything.

[@taylorjohnson5148]

I need that blue strat

[@abboodysabbah4152]

Hermanli you are my favorite guitarist

[@sirprisoner]

I personally feel that specifying music into genres have become outdated. That's why most metal bands don't survive for long. The music has been stereotyped a lot. It's about making good decisions along the way. One example I can give of is Avenged Sevenfold. They kept on changing their style of music in every album. As a music consumer, or a fan not knowing what to expect from the new album can be daunting at the same time exciting. They started young and many people hated it back then, but in time many people have also appreciated that. And that's why Avenged Sevenfold is what it is today. Like Avenged, there are many other bands who are successful.

[@ldszguh-_mituh9765]

Hi bros

[@cjleongson]

Nolly's a business man too

[@TemperedLion]

Do it for the love

[@TacticalNudez]

When will you play the bass🎸?

[@antonflystrup932]

"Like" - misha

[@Nizho]

Cool

[@bryllemaganiong3054]

pls interview Death Metal band master Herman Li, pls, tnx

[@dntinpalevo]

It always amazes me how can someone can live in the UK for most of his life and still have such a heavy chinese accent.

[@legendaryoutcast4440]

Its almost impossible to lose an accent of your first language when you are drilled "proper" pronunciation of your first language.

[@allsic]

Happens when your family doesnt speaks english... like your parents aunts and wife... maybe he talks lots of chinese behind closed doors.

[@bluetooththenagaboy8959]

Herman.. We love to see u play acoustic version!

[@NadjaBusiness]

is there a "you know" counter?

[@bills5694]

Herman is wearing shoes on stream 😱

[@jayjohnson7251]

Good question

[@jayjohnson7251]

Royalties Ever pay ?

[@jayjohnson7251]

The relationship with the band 🏴💙🐧

[@dicky_baruah_singh90]

Herman Li

[@rualmar]

"I've turn into probably a businessman who makes music for fun. I never wanted to be a businessman, it doesn't sound sexy". Misha, you managed to increase the already high respect I had for you with a single sentence

[@mathias8627]

As with every other business, you need substantial capital investment

[@surasakmakmuan5261]

Thank you....Mr. tell my dere.I was looking word ( baby>my dere)..

[@r.c.christian1198]

Mischa has ALWAYS been a business man, he lie

[@zeronine-eightyfour]

I wouldnt say that money doesnt earn money. Its not really touched upon in this video, the connection that is. But Periphery for example is the marketing huge ad sign to make money with in a way by selling signature products such as signature guitars etc. If the band wasnt there, Misha wouldnt sell products this easily I think. Basically Periphery is a huge marketing campaign to sell products that Misha and the other band members are involved in.

[@gbenselum]

Is the twitch ban real????

[@oneshows9276]

yes, if you try to go to his channel, you won't find anything.

[@ooferrell]

@@oneshows9276 that's shit hurt my heart when that happened. Especially because of the reasons.

[@sharkkaan6455]

Is my phone fucked up or is there a hissing sound on the background whenever they speak?

[@th6n]

There is

[@davianlukia3406]

Masok mas..bro..joss bledoss salam sukses

[@PaulAnthony0717]

Shred x Djent collab pls

[@TheJoaovicente]

First thing to do is to be born in Europe or north America. That will make things much easier.

[@pinoyjamz]

Hmmmmm... 😐

[@stjacousticpower]

May I get a heart from Herman Li?❤️

[@marksanus2949]

No

[@stjacousticpower]

@@marksanus2949 you are not Herman Li. Are you?

[@marksanus2949]

@@stjacousticpower shhhhhh

[@stjacousticpower]

@@marksanus2949 hehe

[@An_Enraged_Pig]

Most of it has to do with timing and luck

[@mamifero.efimero]

just move to mexico, your spotify dollars would last better

[@royyazzie6028]

Just more TALK show instead of jamming anymore how do you think Becket feels where there is NO guitar sounding

[@Shiko-wy6cg]

First

[@PhunkBustA]

im NEVER gonna let people hear my music, because all they care about is money

[@PhunkBustA]

thanks copywrong for disenfranchising me and making me resent people even more 😁

[@PhunkBustA]

atleast if i manufacture goods then it cant be taken from me digitally, ill just selfishly enjoy my own music to myself

[@xxxogfuckingbigpersonality8599]

I just wanted to remind you all, that Misha is the man who somehow managed to make Halo soundtrack even more badass.

[@poopityscoopity2042]

Misha the sexy djent businessman.

[@amrockstars4407]

Djentle Businessman.