So here's a vid of me fingerpicking and if you don't mind i would like you to tell me if i'm doing it wrong or if there's a way for me to improve, but keep in mind i just started fingerstyle maybe a week ago and i haven't learned this whole tab yet. But if you can't see the video that well then nevermind.

cant watch the video, it says it's private

my bad check it again

i'm pretty sure you can watch it now

You're picking from the joint after the knuckle. That's weak. The motion needs to come from the knuckle, or in other words, the whole finger. Your arm is not in the right position to do this; it needs to be higher up so the hand naturally rests at an angle which gives you the right curve to use your whole finger strength. It can't rest flat on the guitar for fingerstyle, even though that's okay for a pick.

Practice using your thumb on the bottom three strings, and keep it in position to play even when you're not using it. Relax. You're tensed up.

Not "floating", but it needs to rest at a different angle, so it's touching at the edge, but not laying flat across the guitar. The hand falls gently down toward the strings. It should be a relaxed position.

do you mean my arm needs to hover above the guitar

thx alot

Watch this, if you like. She explains it better than me, and of course, is much better than me. :-)

(And watch parts 2 & 3 & 4 if you're up for it.)

I'll try to put a video that shows how my picking hand works in that angle boodoo mentioned.

thank you for that video, auri.

even though i play bass and not guit, i went from bored and looking at random threads to knowing why my index finger bothers me on my right hand.

why not the others too, you may wonder? 2 words, mouse wheel - i always do it by curling up that finger and drawing back with it. now i know that ain't good for either.

not to mention the other things i learned from that video, like the fact that i need to quit practicing in my recliner... at least i haven't been at it for long...

now i have a new playing method AND mousing method to practice.

now that's what i call an overload!

er, if it's a tiny wheelbarrow...

Oh yeah, I mainly play bass myself, and I find a great deal of that applies to bass too :-) I keep thinking I should have learned this stuff sooner.

Funny thing: the worst thing I do to my hands is play video games. I just tense up way too much!

thx for the video it gave a better look at the right position

Alright i think i have the position right, but i've been having trouble using my ring finger to play i guess its not strong enough yet

It still looks like you're plucking from joint past the knuckle, and not the knuckle. The hand should be hanging down over the strings, so the knuckle of the plucking finger is (roughly) over the string it plays.

Relax. Your pinky and thumb are tensed up. I can't tell from looking about the other fingers, but usually things tense up together.

i moved my arm higher up and i'm not relaxing on the guitar anymore although you probably cant tell from that angle

but i can't pluck with my full finger i dont know why