Thanks to all of you for your wisdom gained from experience. I found the responses enlightening and frequently entertaining, but best of all the consensus is to do what I've been doing and let my fingers find their way to the right (more often than not) buttons.
Each tune you learn will have the potential to add something new to your bag of tricks. Eventually you'll keep what works and sluff off the less effective bits. It's beneficial to keep a tune list and go back over it whenever a new tune reveals a new trick to compare and contrast technique developments and go deeper into what makes the music flow.
Two suggestions:
1. Arpeggio exercises for the fingers and
2. Interval recognition training for the ears.
Combining 1&2, try harmonizing scales in 3rds and 6ths.
Have fun, good luck.