Ring Finger? Or not

Puglele

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I’m learning finger picking recently. What I noticed is that some players use thumb on G and C strings, index finger on E string and middle finger on A string ( something called PIMA system from classical guitar? Feel free to correct me )
I usually use my thumb on G string, Index on C, middle on E and ring on A. I find this way easier to separate G and C string and keep my thumb from too busy. But any idea if the PIMA system is better?
 
It isn't supposed to be a moral decision. You just pick the one that works for you. They all work. For example, I use PPIM but I have no problem playing Daniel Ward's arpeggio studies which are designed for the PIMA system. I think the goal is to pick some system--any system--and become excellent at it. Once you've mastered one way, the other ways become easy to acquire.
 
Generally I do it like you do with four fingers, but when I need to play faster, I generally go down to three and let my thumb take care of the G and C strings. I was talking to a friend (much better player than me) about it and he said he has more consistency in tone and speed with three fingers than four, so everyone’s different.
 
I prefer to do it the "correct" way - four fingers for four strings. I'm not a real fingerpicker, but when I do, I use four fingers. It becomes automatic.

I wasn't being serious about "correct." "Correct" is what works for you.
 
Both!

You might find you prefer one or the other, OR you might find yourself using both depending on the song
 
Thanks everyone for the comments. In my heart I knew both are ok. Just wondering why others choose one over the other.
 
Sometimes I find two fingers best and then I might pick thumb and index if the notes are on different strings. If the notes are on the same string then I'll use middle and index, starting with my middle finger. If I'm only using three strings then I'll likely use P, I and M. Four fingers for four string fingerpicking and also jazzy plucking.
 
FWIW, you've mixed up PIMA. PIMA is P = pulgar (thumb) I = indice (index finger) M = medio (middle finger) A = anular (ring finger), i.e., using 4 fingers. The 3-fingered approach is what Ripock referred to as PPIM. There are times when each makes sense. I switch between those 2 techniques, as well as 2 fingered picking, thumb picking, triplet picking, etc., as it feels appropriate, sometimes within a single song.
 
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I seem to gravitate towards PPIM. But I'm trying to learn both.

I am equally clumsy playing both ways.
 
FWIW, you've mixed up PIMA. PIMA is P = pulgar (thumb) I = indice (index finger) M = medio (middle finger) A = anular (ring finger), i.e., using 4 fingers. The 3-fingered approach is what Ripock referred to as PPIM. There are times when each makes sense. I switch between those 2 techniques, as well as 2 fingered picking, thumb picking, triplet picking, etc., as it feels appropriate, sometimes within a single song.

Thanks for clarifying the terminology.

I usually play ppma and leave the index finger out which is what the original poster is asking about I believe, so whatever works. I did this from the start of ukulele playing because I was coming from a guitar and on a guitar you would play pppima and just incase I wanted to switch back to 6 strings I decided to leave my m and a fingers on the highest 2 strings.
For certain songs I will play pima if that's what the picking pattern calls for.
 
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