Sort of bagpipes

We arrived early at the session, which was fun. I played Rowan Tree as a warm up, just to test the drones were in tune. The fan and the fiddler from the band played around a bit, then I tried Teribus. People started to arrive - although not too many - and I played a few more tunes as the evening wore on: My Home Town, The Rowan Tree (again), Flett from Flotta, The March of the King of Laoise. Not too bad: no tune abandoned, but none note perfect. I lost my place during Home, managed to come in again, but then missed out an A part. The King was a little wobbly, but I was sat next to a man who plays at a Scottish session so was worried he'd actually know my tunes and therefore spot all my mistakes. He didn't join in with the King so either didn't know it, was too busy listening and admiring to play, or was praying that he would be struck deaf and not have to hear a mangled note more.

The usual audience participation: I was asked if Morag was a bit like bagpipes. They were standing away from my bellows side and hadn't worked out how I was managing to play without blowing. Later I had a classic session experience, as described on The Session, with a very happy member of the public asking if we could play The Wild Rover. Luckily a singer could oblige and the musicians pitched in and everyone was happy.

What I've been doing at sessions so far is waiting for permission to play, or a request to play. This is partly because I know I'm interrupting the flow: that I'm about to play (not very well) a tune that no one will know, no one will accompany (although the fan, the fiddle player and others are starting to join in), and I feel as though I'm holding things up while I'm indulged. The problem with waiting to be invited is that I risk feeling hyped by people calling for a tune, being caught on the hop, not even sure which tune to play, and with Morag still on my lap. Better, I find, to just go for it: to get the bag and bellows connected and to pick a tune while everyone is playing, and then, as soon as they pause for breath, dive in.

Still a small amount of nerves: my left hand goes a bit wobbly, but on the whole I'm getting better at playing at sessions, and am quite glad that I've got repertoire enough that I'm not just having to play the same two tunes each time.

Only two weeks until I collect the Monkey...