Does it matter if I use my thumb for fingerstyle?

[jp_nyc]

I’m trying to get back into fingerstyle after a few years off. I find myself reflexively relying on two or three fingers like when I play bass. Is there any reason to not do this?

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

You'll miss half the notes you should be playing.

 

[jp_nyc]

You'll miss half the notes you should be playing.

Oh, right, the bass strings. I forgot it was easy because I’m starting over with a beginner course.

 

[Knox in Box]

Play however you feel like. Traditionally you should be using it though for the reason HIAR pointed out. But hell, you might bring something new to the table the other way.

 

[Hubert Stumblin]

I guess it depends on how complex the stuff is you're playing. I use a hybrid approach: pick, middle, ring, and pinky. But then I'd hardly classify myself as a "fingerstylist". In classical they only specify PIMA. Though I suppose you could use the pinky with that too.

 

[tstrahle]

Practice the Giuliani arpeggios...

http://www.classicalguitar.org/freemusic/exercises/Giuliani120.pdf

Start at level one. Don't be scared by the notation. The shapes are basically C - x32010 (sometimes 332010) and G7 - x20031 (sometimes 320031)

P = thumb
i = index
m = middle
a = ring

One thing my teacher taught me was to add another layer of skills by accenting different parts of the beat when repeating the pattern, the downbeats, the "e" of the beats, the "+" of the beats and the "a" of the beats.

As in 1e+a 2e+a 3e+a 4e+a

Here is the first of five videos (so far) that I did on applying the Giuliani arpeggios to the acoustic guitar.