Finger style questions

[RyanW]

Hello and thank you Justin first and foremost.

I'm been learning finger style for about a month now and having two problems.

1) After plucking a string, when I go back in to pluck again, my fingernails are grabbing the string and it sounds terrible.  I trim them completely and file them down after that. But they still grab. If this is a matter of practice it's all I need to know, that it will go away in time?

2) I very much prefer my thumb to pass on the inside of my hand, it does not interfere with my index this way,  However I see a lot of people sticking there thumb forward like they're giving a thumbs up, this makes using my other fingers feel awkward. I prefer to former but it does place them at more of an angle, naturally.

Thanks in advance!

[Alex6strings]

Ryan hi.   I think your first question you answered already.   That's a matter of practice.  When your brain registers those sounds it doesn't want to hear it will make the adjustments needed.  It just sounds like you aren't attacking the string from the correct angle on your second approach.  Practice.

The second question,  well, you may hear otherwise but in my opinion it's a matter of preference.   I know exactly what you mean but without going into detail about what you're goals are etc is hard to say 'you should stick your thumb out' even though that is my preferred way to play.   For example, if you were interested in playing 'boom chick'  tunes which always sound better with a thumb pick, then I'd say get your thumb out and get used to it.   That was my hurdle a lot of years ago.   Having said that, if you look at someone like Josh Turner on yt you'll notice he is an amazing player first, but his thumb is as you say inside.  (I'd say he can adjust and do what's wants)

If you look at this video of me playing you'll see my thumb sticks out and my fingers stay inside.  Feels right for me and the stuff I play.   Hope this helps.

https://youtu.be/wTJUl3Ibhr8

[sairfingers]

My problem is that when I stick my thumb forward as Justin says you should, I then can’t see my fingers. So my thumb gradually moves back to the wrong position as I try to see what my fingers are doing. I know some people play with their thumb behind their fingers, but I want to do it the way Justin suggests and indeed most of the other video lessons by others say the same thing. Again as ever I suppose it’s a matter of practice.