Longmont, Colo. — (July 27, 2007) — Allegro Multimedia, a leading provider of music gaming software and music education tools, announces a strategic partnership with Mattel for the debut of Mattel’s I Can Play Guitar , a break-through video game that teaches people of all ages to play guitar. Allegro Multimedia and Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT), signed a strategic licensing agreement that harmonizes Allegro’s innovative Guitar Wizard method with Mattel’s ongoing commitment to music education. The agreement allows Mattel to introduce Allegro’s technology into the toy market as part of the “I Can Play Guitar system that features the Guitar Wizard Method.
Guitar Wizard is a revolutionary teaching platform that will change the way kids are taught guitar. “Our strategic partnership and licensing agreement with Mattel ensures that future generations of children will use the Guitar Wizard method as training wheels in discovering a life-long, love of the guitar, ultimately helping to create many more musicians,” says Chris Salter, CEO of Allegro Multimedia.
The Guitar Wizard Method is inherently different from other music-teaching approaches, introducing the actual playing of music through an amazingly simple interactive video game. This innovative technology allows virtually anyone to play songs within minutes and transforms the tedious and traditional methods of guitar practice into an exciting video game. The Guitar Wizard method can make a child’s first musical experience fun and successful instead of painful.
“Enjoying music has always been universal but understanding how to read and interpret musical notation has been unnecessarily difficult. We believe the Guitar Wizard method makes music literacy as easy as one, two, three,” says Chris Salter the CEO of Allegro Multimedia. “Our company’s philosophy is that music literacy is imperative in childhood development and instrumental to later success in life. I Can Play Guitar allows children as young as six years old to start learning about, understanding and developing essential thinking and interpretation skills while having fun.”
Prior to the Guitar Wizard, Allegro Multimedia developed the Piano Wizard line of products, which was the first to implement the unique and highly successful patented 4-step methodology. As a result of the success of Piano Wizard, Allegro Multimedia partnered with Fisher Price to create the “I Can Play TM Piano” which was nominated by the Toy Industry Association for the 2006 Educational Toy of the Year.
Following I Can Play Piano, Allegro created the first version of Piano Wizard specifically tailored for the education market. In conjunction with Yourhomework.com, Allegro launched the Yourhomework Music Wizard Academy version of Piano Wizard which includes DVD video lessons with special instruction from renowned SIU Professor Don Beattie, lesson books, lesson plans and sheet music. Allegro intends on releasing additional education versions of their music teaching tools as part of the Music Wizard Academy series.
“Given the success of Fisher Price’s I Can Play TM Piano and our expertise in the creation of unique learning platforms, we recognized the Guitar Wizard method as the perfect basis for Mattel’s new generation of learn-to-play musical instruments,” says David Allmark, General Manager of the Mattel Company responsible for the I Can Play line. “Mattel together with Allegro’s Guitar Wizard method will further instill a lifelong love of music in children worldwide.”
The I Can Play Guitar , which features the Allegro Multimedia Guitar Wizard Method, includes a cartridge featuring six popular songs for the guitar. I Can Play Guitar will be released in August 2007 and available at major retailers nationwide with a suggested retail price of $99.99. Additional I Can Play Guitar song and game cartridges will be sold separately with a suggested retail price of $14.99 each. For more information about Guitar Wizard, visit www.pianowizard.com/i-can-play-guitar/. For more information about I Can Play Guitar visit, www.icanplayguitar.net.
About Allegro Multimedia:
Allegro Multimedia is a leading provider of non-violent, music videogame software. Allegro is combating the perception that all videogames are harmful through patented music learning methods, which can eliminate many frustrations associated with traditional music lessons. Allegro teaches how to play musical instruments through entertaining fun and games, supported by never-ending musical content! Allegro Multimedia’s core mission is to help bring about universal music literacy.
For more information, please visit www.pianowizard.com.
About Mattel
Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, American Girl, Radica and Tyco R/C, as well as Fisher-Price brands, including Little People, Power Wheels and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. I Can Play is a trademark of Mattel, Inc. Mattel is recognized as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy U.S. Companies by Forbes Magazine and is ranked among the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by CRO Magazine. Committed to ethical manufacturing practices, Mattel marks a 10-year milestone in 2007 for its ever-evolving Global Manufacturing Principles and focus on sustainable business practices. With global headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel’s vision is to be the world’s premier toy brands — today and tomorrow.
