I go to a number of different sessions, but one which contains many of the features that are anathema to some: people using crib sheets, singing off key, changing key repeatedly mid-song, timing idiosyncrasies etc. but yet it is a lovely friendly club and we put up with each other's imperfections and everyone supports each other. It is not a concert, after all!

I've been to local singarounds like that, though not for a while. I don't find them particularly friendly, because a lot of those problems are easily fixable, and if you don't do anything about them, you're just being inconsiderate to your listeners.

- If you tend to start in very inappropriate keys, get a pitchpipe. One of those 12-note star-shaped things, a phone with a tuner, or if you can use it, a harmonica. And write the key or starting note that works for you on your songsheet. You shouldn't get it wrong twice.

- Nobody has to spend longer flipping through a folder the size of phonebook to find a song than they're going to spend singing it. The obvious fix (assuming that you really and truly can't memorize anything) is to bring along only a handful of songs to choose from, varied enough to cover a few eventualities that might turn up.