John J wrote: "I was singing unaccompanied in the Tap & Spile on Saturday afternoon. Apart from there being a VERY high ambient noise level, a box player behind me tried to accompany me. This threw me, I just can't sing accompanied. Apart from anything else I find if I want to tweak the pitch / alter the tempo during the song...well I just can't. I'm sure these people mean well but they're really just a damned nuisance."

As a band member as well as a soloist I always try to fit in with the leader on any particular song or tune. If I know it well I will know when the leader is likely to slow down (e.g. at the end of a song) and do likewise. One thing that's good about solo work is that it's up to me to vary the tempo as I feel like, to fit in with the mood of the song (it also helps if I forget the words of a verse, as I can play a little bit more while I rack my brains). At singarounds I will just do the same (i.e. vary the tempo as suits me), and if someone has taken it upon themselves to join me without invitation, it's up to them to keep to my tempo. If they don't it's their problem, not mine. But like I said, it's just a singaround and not to be taken too seriously.