This is a very interesting thread. I've got to find myself a guitar hero so I can ask "Could I play like ....?".

This advice in particular caught my attention:

"the best advice and instruction that I ever got as far as how to open up the improvisational elements in fingerpicking came from Mr. Fielding during one of our early lessons. That advice was to take any standard major chord (ie: C, G, A, F, E, etc.) and while maintaining an alternating thumb bass, try and play a full scale ascending and descending, around the thumb. Once you've got it down over one key, then switch to another. You will be amazing at what this exercise will open up for you. Not only will it get the fingers stretching, it will help your independence, and open you up to more exploring." (MK)

I want to be sure I understand this right. Suppose I try the key of C. My bass notes would be C on the A string and E on the D string. What would it mean, in this example, to play "a full scale... around the thumb"? Do you mean just playing the C-scale notes that are within reach on the high E, B, and G strings? That wouldn't be a scale in the do to do sense. Or do you mean playing a C to a C, which would mean going higher up the high E string so I would have to shift into some other voicing of the C chord for my bass notes? Or am I supposed to include notes on the three bass strings in the scale?

Thanks, Marion