Which two fingers do you use the most while playing finger style?

[paulzoom]

For a while it was my thumb and forefinger but lately I’ve been finding it easier to use the middle finger because it’s longer and easier to reach. Does anyone else do that?

[Slothead56]

Thumb, index, middle, ring....

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Thumb, index, middle, ring....

^^^^^
This + pinky if called for. No picks. It wasn’t always this way though. For many years, just thumb + index. So glad I started to try using all which has become natural.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

For a while it was my thumb and forefinger but lately I’ve been finding it easier to use the middle finger because it’s longer and easier to reach. Does anyone else do that?

For many years I used thumb, index, and ring fingers, never used the middle finger, but a couple of years ago I trained myself to use thumb, index and middle.

[KevinH]

Thumb generally for bass.
index, middle, ring more or less equally for melody.

I tried learning the John Prine method many years ago, but it just didn't stick.

[paulzoom]

I do use just about all my fingers at some point. I just meant what are the two that you use the most. But it looks like some people do use them all equally.

[DukeX]

I use thumb + two or three depending on the piece.

[Methos1979]

For years I used just thumb, middle and ring. Not sure why, it just evolved this way. I used the thumb on the bottom 4 strings and the middle on 2 and ring on 1. Over the past year or so I've deliberately begun to make myself use the index on the third string. It's not quite automatic and if I'm not thinking about it I just use the three but if I'm thinking about I try to make the index a regular participant.

I've also just begun trying to work with a thumb pick and it's coming along so now I'm looking into finger picks and that was one of my issues was whether to just get them for the middle and ring or include the index as well. I've got three different styles of finger picks on order and I'll likely do a post of my experiences down the line.

Btw, I did a poll on this exact subject over six years ago. Here's a link to that in case you're interested:

Fingerstyle players: How many fingers?

[curbucci]

Thumb and index finger only for fingerpicking.

[Doons]

PI (almost never) or PIM or PIMA... depends on the demands of the music. If it gets too confusing, I just use a pick and strum something else!

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

For a while it was my thumb and forefinger but lately I’ve been finding it easier to use the middle finger because it’s longer and easier to reach. Does anyone else do that?

Hi pz

No, I use the thumb, plus whichever finger is called for by the song. That changes according to style, and arrangement.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

For a while it was my thumb and forefinger but lately I’ve been finding it easier to use the middle finger because it’s longer and easier to reach. Does anyone else do that?

Yes, I think I do something similar. I tend to use the middle finger on the top two strings and the first finger on the third string. I learned by using PIMA, but find myself using the ring finger less as time goes on.

[KenL]

Yep, thumb and middle finger.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by curbucci

Thumb and index finger only for fingerpicking.

That's a me too!

[Mark L]

99% PIMA.

Every now and then a specific tune done in a specific way requires something more rudimentary, but it’s easy enough to just see that as a specialized subset of PIMA.