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FARMINGDALE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 9, 2006--D'Addario, the world's largest manufacturer of guitar strings, has partnered with WorkshopLive, the premier website for online music lessons, to offer one free week of unlimited access to online guitar lessons at www.playfree-workshoplive.com.

Formally launched in December 2005, WorkshopLive has attracted thousands of customers for online music lessons from the United States, England, Denmark, Vietnam, the Caribbean, and many other areas of the world. WorkshopLive has dozens of the world's top music instructors providing online guitar lessons, as well as other music lessons, which range from beginner to advanced. Hundreds of music lessons are offered in a wide variety of styles (acoustic, rock, jazz, classical, etc.). Players learn at their own pace, whenever they want, 24/7.

As the first major initiative between the two companies, D'Addario has included Play Free voucher cards in 1.5 million specially marked sets of D'Addario's EXL110, EXL115, EXL120, EJ15, EJ16, EJ17, and EJ26 guitar strings; the vouchers are good for a full seven days of free unlimited guitar lessons on the WorkshopLive site. The Play Free cards can be used from anywhere in the world (a high-speed internet connection is required) and are valid through September of 2008.

"WorkshopLive's online music lessons are, at the moment, the cutting edge of music education tools. The idea and the setup of the site is so well-thought-out and well-executed that within a short time, I think musicians learning from these online music lessons will be more common than purchasing an instructional DVD," said J. D'Addario Chairman and CEO Jim D'Addario. "We engage in these types of partnerships as a way to spread music education and encourage more interest in learning instruments. By offering guitarists a free week on the site, many players will get a risk-free opportunity, and our hope is that they'll see how beneficial WorkshopLive is for improving guitar skills at all levels."

Players around the world have raved about WorkshopLive's easy of use, quality instruction and convenience. WorkshopLive.com user Kevin Tomlinson states, "WorkshopLive.com is an answer to my prayers. My main excuse for not being a very good guitar player has always been that I have never had the time available to schedule lessons with a teacher, due to my demanding job. WorkshopLive.com enables me to practice whenever I want and more than that, it allows me to take lessons from a caliber of teacher that I simply don't have where I live. I now have no excuses left, and love it. I'd forgotten how good it feels to play music and what a great feeling it is to learn new things every day."

About D'Addario

J. D'Addario & Company, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets complete lines of strings for fretted and bowed musical instruments, drumheads, drum practice pads, and guitar and woodwind accessories under the proprietary brand names D'Addario, Evans Drumheads, Planet Waves, Rico, and HQ Percussion. The company also runs the popular Gbase.com online gear source. J. D'Addario products are marketed in approximately 120 countries. For more information D'Addario products, visit www.daddario.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGekKM2mTrA

About WorkshopLive

WorkshopLive produces the most dynamic and engaging music instruction content on the Web today. Its patent-pending technology delivers the first truly interactive learning experience of its type, with visual and auditory elements that change to suit the preferences and abilities of the student. WorkshopLive incorporates more than 20 years of experience in music education. The company has created hundreds of lessons in all styles of music. Other step by step guitar lessons divisions include National Guitar Workshop Publications and summer learning experiences operated at 28 locations around the country, the National Guitar Workshop and DayJams. The privately funded company is based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Additional information is available at 413-358-9606 and www.workshoplive.com.