I've read Wally's later posting on the first "Etiquette" (BTW, sorry for the extra T's in the title...) thread, and recognized myself as occasionally guilty in the "singing along" with a bad harmony or wrong set of words...Ouch. I get a bit carried away sometimes, and just need a nudge from my dear spouse's elbow or someone's hand clapped over my mouth when I forget myself. Actually, a good stiff glare in my direction usually does the trick.

Liam, I'm not as concerned about living room jam sessions, where we're NOT performing as much as swapping songs. But our monthly "Open Sings" are a bit more formal, going around a circle to give each person a turn to "perform" their song of choice. People at the Sing aren't polished performers, for the most part, are sometimes shy and uncertain about their music, are often not great singers - they come to the sings as a place where they know they'll get a chance to sing because they enjoy it. I learned how to sing in public there. IMHO, the person whose turn it is should be given a chance to do their song the way he/she wants it done, but often they're too shy to tell someone who thinks they're a "better" musician to stop butting in. I stopped going to the sings when the combination of musical ineptitude and social discomfort became too much for me - and because, as Rick put it, "private" sessions of singing with friends became more regular and fun.