Hawthorne, CA, March 04, 2008 -- Hip Hop as a culture is very influential to today's youth. From the style of dress, to the slang, to the overall attitude that is prevalent and acted out by some it's biggest stars, young people are following the trends very closely. One very positive aspect of Hip Hop that is known as "beat making".



Beat making is the process of making a song with the intent for a rapper or singer to vocalize over. Despite its name the process of beat making requires musical knowledge beyond the basic rhythmic elements.



With inexpensive and free software available, a personal computer can be used to make full fledged recordings and songs. These songs can be recorded to CDs or MP3s and shared worldwide.



WarBeats.com provides free tutorials in video format that take the viewer step by step through processes as basic as "notes and tones" to more advanced topics as "chord progressions".



Beyond making the beat, they also learn how to mix a song and use effects popular in today's hip hop culture.



Other popular topics at the website are tutorials on how to make beats similar to well known Hip Hop producers Dr. Dre and Timbaland.



"Because the viewer can see and hear the tutorials, it really sinks in" says WarBeats founder Nelson Fernandez (known online as NFX), "Many of these kids just need a slight push to see they can do it, and it gives them the confidence to keep going."



Founded in 2005, the website has been steadily growing to more than 50,000 users worldwide. The original intention for WarBeats was a place for beat makers to go head to head in "beat battles". However, after sharing some knowledge in a video, Fernandez noticed that there was a great demand and hunger for more information.



"It was like a fire," recalls Fernandez, "Ive had two different web hosts shut me down because I was using too much bandwidth to deliver the videos."



In addition to the tutorials, the site offers many project files of current popular songs remade in FLStudio format. This allows them to see how today's hit songs were made and learn even more techniques through self discovery. FLStudio is an inexpensive music production software popular among the site's users.



A user to user discussion forum is also made available so that users of the site can exchange tips, provide feedback and even participate in online beat battles to further enhance their skills as beat makers.



WarBeats member BlazeOne says "It's rare to find the amount of tutorials they provide at WarBeats without cost. Most of us are young and couldn't afford to pay so what NFX is doing is special. He has probably helped thousands of kids find a love for something they will do for the rest of their lives and keep them off the street."



Many WarBeats members are actively selling their beats to rappers and singers looking for new music. A few have even sold beats to some of today's biggest hip hop stars.



Nelson Fernandez is quick to note "Our forums are different from many hip hop forums, we lead by example and do not tolerate personal attacks or non-constructive criticisms. We promote 'keeping it real', as in being yourself, not acting in a way that you think is expected of you. Because of this, our users feel like WarBeats is a safe haven for their expression and growth."



About WarBeats.com:

WarBeats.com is a place for learning about music production and exchanging ideas. Their main goal is provide free instruction and guidance to all people interested in beat making.