Throw the ultimate dance party

Start with whiz-bang DJ software, ladle on some thumping MP3s, top with small, intense speakers, and voilá! You've got your own dance party.

A party just isn't a party without music. Thanks to advanced digital technology and superb sound manipulation, mastering pro DJ techniques is easier than it looks. For the low-maintenance host, creating playlists with solid apps can replace hours spent producing custom dance mixes. Serious DJs can stop lugging around bulky equipment without saying good-bye to scratching and beat-matching.

While the packed control panels of many DJing programs are polished enough to please serious turntable aristocrats, casual party mix-masters will also find them approachable.

There are three fundamental steps you'll want to cross off the list before crowning yourself "Party Host Extraordinaire." With these steps, you'll learn how to get the hardware you need to enhance and broadcast your sound, collect music files and organise them for quick access, and finally, play and mix songs that will make your guests bop their heads and shake their booties. Get started!

Step 1: Check your hardware
Step 2: Build your playlists
Step 3: Think like a DJ