DC allowed to play guitar using index finger?! Right or wrong?

[SparklyLights]

My DC is in the second year of learning to play guitar. I have noticed she has been using her index finger instead of thumb (or plectrum) to play the notes. She hangs her thumb off the top string and picks the tune with her index finger. I have corrected her to using thumb, as to me it looks wrong (and lazy) but she says the guitar teacher says it’s ok. Have noticed other kids in the group doing the same. She also slouches over the guitar and I think that looks wrong too, but she says guitar teacher doesn’t mind.

Is it correct/an accepted way of playing the guitar? I think it’s a very bad habit (gaming off top string with thumb and plucking notes with index finger) but I thought I’d check.

Thanks for input/advice!

[SparklyLights]

*hanging not gaming!

[PurplePillowCase]

dc's teacher teaches the dc to 'walk' with index and middle finger. apparently using the thumb comes later when they have better dexterity.

[Nuffaluff]

I don't play guitar, so I would assume the guitar teacher would know better than me. Don't they have a grade 8 in guitar plus a teaching certificate? That's what I thought music teachers had.

[SparklyLights]

That’s interesting Pillow, about the dexterity, but it’s the hanging off the top string with the thumb and also most of the kids play nowhere near the hole (don’t know correct word for it), they play very near the end of the strings instead (where they are tied to guitar) and that’s not corrected either. I don’t get the impression the guitar teacher is teaching them index finger as a proper technique.

Nuff - I doubt very much this teacher has grade 8, I think they are more experienced based. also after over a year of lessons my DD has not learned anything formally of music theory. She can read most notes on treble clef but that’s it. No timing or note lengths etc.

[SparklyLights]

Bumping for any knowledgable guitar players out there!!

[SparklyLights]

Any guitarists around? (Hopeful)

[gigglingHyena]

Sounds right to me. I was taught to use index and middle finger to pluck a melody, thumb is used later to pluck bass line. DD has been taught the same. Thumb resting on the E string is perhaps not ideal but will probably change when she starts using it more.

I've already played fingerpicking style so no plectrum. DD uses one all the time on electric, some of the time on acoustic.

[Ragusa]

Many many guitarists don't learn musical notation but tab instead. I think it may be different for classical??

[Jenala]

My DP is a guitarist. He says using the index finger isn't really a problem and could be a bridge to using her other fingers and her thumb down the line. He can see what you mean as it's not 100%, mainly because just using your index finger isn't very versatile. But his view is if she is having fun with the instrument and learning then she will likely eventually discover some music she wants to play that requires more dexterity - and if she is enthusiastic and enjoys the instrument then she will naturally be pushed to become more dexterous in order to play the more complex stuff if that makes sense? He found it hard to articulate but I think basically he feels dexterity with other fingers will come naturally as part of experience. He said you could encourage her to play around with using other fingers and her thumb as a fin challenge/game.

DP doesn't have loads of music theory either so he's coming at this from the perspective of someone who just loved guitar and improved based on wantingto stretch himself and play more complex stuff. This has spilled over into using those skills to learn other instruments plus music production, recording and mixing.

In terms of where they play, he said there's no set rule but you'll get a better sound and resonance over the hole than elsewhere. He was more immediately negative about that than the index finger thing.