Mag Rack Website Provides Unique "Print & Play" Instruction Manuals for Students
New York, NY – January 15, 2004 – Rainbow's Mag Rack today announced an exclusive partnership with Warner Bros. Publications to bring an on-demand guitar instructor into viewers' homes 24 hours a day. The lessons will be presented on "Guitar Xpress," a new video magazine from Mag Rack scheduled to debut in February 2004.
The first television program of its kind, "Guitar Xpress" will feature hours of basic lessons, specific tips, and step-by-step instructions for playing popular songs, given by guitar experts with a variety of specialties and knowledge of music genres. The subjects addressed on the video magazine are targeted to guitar players over a variety of skill levels, from a first lesson explaining basic chords to more advanced sessions on guitar tricks.
Because Mag Rack offers the benefits of on-demand technology, including the ability to pause, rewind, fast forward and replay lessons, "Guitar Xpress" brings music education to an exciting new level and allows viewers to play music effortlessly. Mag Rack's new video magazine is further enhanced with interactive, printable tablatures and chord diagrams available only on the Web at www.magrack.com. Furthermore, for the first time on Mag Rack, an on-screen time code has been incorporated as a tool to allow students to pick up any lesson where they left off – at any time.
Warner Bros. will manage original production for each segment, and content will be updated frequently. Instructions for two new songs will be added on-air every week, with six songs available to learn at any given time. Basic lessons and specific tips will rotate monthly
"'Guitar Xpress' is a perfect testament of programming that truly harnesses the functionality of video-on-demand," said Jesse Raiford, Director of Production Operations, Mag Rack. "This simple, entertaining, instructional programming will encourage our viewers to understand the true value and control on-demand offers."
"'Guitar Xpress' demonstrates just how radically the television landscape is changing with the rise of VOD," said Fred S. Anton, Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Publications. "Mag Rack gives us the opportunity to extend the reach of our programming through an appropriate, innovative television entertainment platform."
"GuitarXpress" viewers have access to the following features:
- Guitar 101 – For beginners with very little knowledge of the guitar, this half-hour segment teaches the basics of playing acoustic and electric guitars. Viewers learn the correct playing position, how to use a pick, how to play chords, and more.
- Basic Guitar Soloing – For the more familiar guitar user, "Basic Guitar Soloing" teaches the fundamentals of playing lead guitar in blues, rock and pop songs.
- Learn Basic Guitar For Kids – This segment features many of the same lessons as "Guitar 101," presented in the context of an entertaining story to make it more fun and interesting for kids.
- SongXpress – Learn how to play two popular classic and modern rock songs per week, with six songs available at all times.
- Rhythm Guitar – Consists of five segments each around 15 minutes long, teaching common guitar chords, barre and power chords, blues chords, strumming patterns and fingerstyle guitar.
- Lead Guitar – Consists of five segments each around 15 minutes long, teaching guitar tricks, soloing techniques, and more.
- Guitar Styles – These four segments each expand on "Guitar 101." Students learn the elements and techniques specific to four genres: hard rock, modern rock, Latin rock and blues.
- Gear and Equipment – Features 11 segments totaling nearly three hours, teaching guitar maintenance and tips on using guitar accessories to achieve classic guitar effects, classic blues guitar, classic country guitar and classic rock guitar sounds.
The first installment of "Guitar Xpress" will teach viewers to play such all-time favorites as "American Pie" by Don McLean, "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf, and more. The guitar teachers hosting each segment have extensive experience both as performers and as teachers, with an assortment of perspectives necessary for covering such a diverse instrument.
"Guitar Xpress" instructors include:
- Danny Warner – One of the most in-demand session guitarists in the country, Danny has performed and recorded with Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson and more.
- Tommy Anthony – Tommy is constantly in demand as a session guitarist and back-up singer and has performed and recorded with Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion and more.
- Magda Hiller – A favorite on the South Florida folk scene, Magda has opened for Bob Dylan, Steve Forbert and Richie Havens.
- Aaron Stang – Aaron is the Guitar Managing Editor for Warner Bros. Publications and is the author of The 21st Century Guitar Method.
About Mag Rack
Mag Rack is the first service designed exclusively for on-demand television, launched by Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC in 2001. Mag Rack engages enthusiasts with a wide selection of "video magazines" about subjects that are personally relevant such as "Yoga Retreat," "Motorcycle Freedom" and "Inside Weddings." The service offers customers special interest programming not widely found on other channels with advanced DVD-like ability to fast-forward, rewind or pause the program. Mag Rack's value to cable operators reaches beyond excellent programming to also serve as an expert resource for marketing, branding and affiliate sales. For more information, visit www.magrack.com.
About Warner Bros. Publications
Warner Bros. Publications (WBP). Warner Music Group, A Time Warner Company is the largest print music publisher in the world. Headquartered in Miami, Fla., WBP is home to the most respected product lines in music education, as well as a powerhouse pop catalog and top instructional music DVDs and videos. Warner Bros. Publications, a staunch supporter of music education, recently launched the Expressions Music CurriculumTM, the first comprehensive and coordinated National Standards-based music curriculum for kindergarten through grade 12.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC:
A leader in sports, news and entertainment programming, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Rainbow Media owns and manages national networks: AMC, Fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; as well as the on-demand services: Mag Rack, Uncensored On Demand, World Picks On Demand and World Picks Networks. Rainbow Media' s other businesses include its regional programming services – MetroChannels, News 12 Networks and Rainbow Sports Networks – in addition to the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. Rainbow Media is also a 50 percent partner in Fox Sports Net.