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Filled with miniature numbered pads, circular knobs and slide buttons used to control volume levels, budding music producer Adam Pinkney's computer screen was nothing short of intimidating. But with just a few screen clicks, Adam's speakers filled the room with a catchy beat akin to any heard on a local hip-hop radio station.

"Last class [K.D.] helped us make the beats," Adam said. "This time we're on our own."

Adam, 13, of Fort Washington was in his third week of the Making Beats class, where students can create the beats to their own songs using computer software, at Seat Pleasant's Patriots Technology Training Center. The class runs October through December and meets Mondays and Wednesdays at PTTC, which exposes county youth to math, science and engineering opportunities.

Kevin "K.D" Harrell of Capitol Heights and Vernon Boykin of Washington, D.C., teach students how to navigate the software. Harrell runs the Capitol Heights-based "Dirty Game in The Same" production studio.

Students work with Propellerhead Reason software, which allows them to use digital recordings of electric bass lines and beats from different types of drums, play them in a continuous loop and record piano strokes from a miniature keyboard hooked up to the computer. Adam said he wants to create enough beats to record onto a compact disc.

Harrell said the students already have an ear for music and an interest in creating new sounds so it was easy for them to learn the software quickly. Adam's mother, Judy Pinkney, said she sees a lot of his inner person coming out through the class.

"He's loved music and wanted to learn an instrument," she said. "I've seen a lot of creativity out of him."

Harrell said the point of the class is not only to get the students familiar with the software but also to explain the recording process from creating beats, to production and post-production and what finding fame entails, such as hiring an entertainment lawyer.

"They might see Lil' Wayne on TV but it's not just Lil' Wayne," Harrell said. "It's all the people around him."

Harrell said it is even easier for an up-and-coming artist to take a "shortcut" around the music industry and make his or her beats known locally, nationally or worldwide with the help of Web sites such as YouTube and MySpace. Harrell pointed to artists like Soulja Boy, who he said made beats on software similar to the Propellerhead Reason software his students use and used a camcorder to record the music video to "Crank That (Soulja Boy)."

"I still learn stuff every day," Harrell said. "That's one thing about music. It's never stagnant. Something's always coming out."

Neomi Bilal, 11, of Capitol Heights said the hardest part of the class so far is figuring out what each button controls. Neomi is already musically inclined and is learning the flute, piano and the violin.

"I love music," Neomi said. "Everything I do is about music."

Harrell said when the class gets larger he would like to hold a contest among students judging who has the best beat. The winner, he said, would receive a free copy of Propellerhead Reason software and a keyboard. Harrell said there are about 10 children currently enrolled.

"They can be Dr. Dre 24 hours a day if they want to be," Harrell said.

Jones said he eventually wants to teach children the basics of audio engineering, which include learning how to use a mixer and set up speakers to create performances on the go. Jones also hopes the county will give his students the opportunity to make beats and jingles for local TV and radio ads in the future.

"We're here for the community," Jones said. "Whatever the students' interest is, we want to help them out."