I've only recently started playing in sessions on my recorder and I'm amazed at how quickly I'm aquiring the knack of picking up a tune I've never even heard before. If I hear it through once I can often, though not always, join in second time thorugh. I don't know much about all the technical bits about music, so most of the 'tricks' you spoke of don't actually help me at all. I do find though, that the more I do it, the more easily my fingers go into the right places without my conscious mind actually having anything to do with it! So no, I don't sit it out if I don't know the tune...I learn much more tunes by trying to join in.

Love Lynne