[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by larryb

...Should I be focusing on consistency, or what feels comfortable at the time?

Hi Larry…
I play and teach Thumb-n-3 (as opposed to Thumb-n-1, Thumb-n-2 or Thumb-n-4).

I start beginning fingerstyle students with the Thumb covering bass notes on strings 4-5-6 and the index on 3rd string, middle finger on 2nd string, and ring finger on 1st string handling chords, runs, and arpeggios.

We practice patterns (picking), chords (plucking), and scales (articulated and slurred) with that arrangement for a few weeks.

Once they have that settled, then we start learning to move the fingers in one string (strings 2-3-4) so they can learn inside chords, and finally to split finger where either the ring stays put and the other two shift inward, or first moves to the 4th and the other two stay outward.

You will do well if you learn it systematically instead of what is merely comfortable - because all new learning is uncomfortable.