I have been playing acoustic guitar, all self taught from books, for 3 years, 1 year of classical, and 2 years of alternating bass fingerstyle "travis-picking." So my learning experience through all of this is still relatively fresh in my mind.
Learning classical first, I use a self-taught classical right hand position, and I dont use finger picks or a thumb pick, but I primarily used only middle finger and thumb. I started using index later on when one finger wasnt cutting it. It wasnt until later on into my travis picking endeavor, that I started employing my ring finger. I still use my middle finger primarily. It sounds better on the strings due to nail shape (another story).
So, this is a perspective from beginner, but also one from an, admittedly self taught and minimal, classical background.
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Originally Posted by 12tribes
Which fingers should I use?
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The more the better, right? Actually, Now that I use all 3, I find that using more fingers is easier. I ofter wonder how on earth Merl Travis played cannonball rag with only thumb and index (lightning index finger).
IMO, if you are using more fingers, you have access to more, richer, complex picking patterns. It also allows you to move your hand less, which helps with position. Using more fingers also allows you play multiple notes at a time in addition to the bass notes. I think Merl did this with index only by raking more than one string with his index, or thumb sometimes. But this is hard. Plucking with idividual fingers allows for more control, and excluding intermediate strings.
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Originally Posted by 12tribes
Is it vitally important to 'glue' a finger to the body for reference?
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I say only do it if it helps. I use classical hand position, so I dont do this exactly. I do however rest my finger tips on strings occasionally, to help with position, and to mute strings from ringing. This is probably bad form - but it helps me play.
I have some regrets about my self taught hand position habits. The biggest one is that I cannot mute bass strings for that chet-atkins sound. I cant seem to be able to "figure out" the traditional steel-string fingerstyle hand position where the wrist is arched back and the arm flat against the face of the guitar. Never could get the hang of a traditional thumb pick - though I try every once in a while - usually after I have broken my thumb nail. I eventually caved, and bought "Alaska" thumb picks, which I can use in classical position.
I had actually at one point fasioned, from a small foam block, a thingy to slide over the base of the bass strings to mute them, just to see how it would work out (eh.. ok... but I never used it, so must not have sounded that great... and it felt an awful lot like cheating).
Stick with it! I have found that leaning fingerstyle is a very rewarding experience!