I've made a speciality of playing traditional Irish music on 10-hole blues harps. Most of the time in our session I use a small battery amp. I just might as well not be there otherwise if the session has seven or eight players who are all louder than I am and the background noise is considerable. I ask the others constantly to keep a check on my volume. If the pub's quiet and there aren't too many players I gladly switch off.   I can play with volume and projection but I have to face the fact that I need help in order to be heard sometimes!