There's a big difference between being able to follow a tune led by someone else, and being able to start one off yourself and keep going even if hardly anyone joins in, or some people join in loudly and inaccurately.

Learning to play through your mistakes rather than coming to a dead halt when you go wrong is valuable. When that happens, rhythm is more important than melody.

Play at a volume that lets you hear everyone else, not so loudly that you mainly hear yourself.

Valmai (Lewes)