While most any market will do after the initial opening market is over I prefer the overnight trend following trading swing trading.
I set up my monitor to display two windows with my higher time frame H2-D1 on the left larger window and the M5-M1 on the right.
On the Higher time frame I use Bands, Pivots and CCI. On the lower time frame I use SMA 20/50/200 along with Pivots and CCI.
The higher time frame is used to select pair direction and target TP/SL. The lower time frame is used to confirm confluence and enter the trade. On the 5M chart I like to see but not always, two candles of confluence before entering.
To specifically answer your question how I settled on the bands indicator. BTW I applaud your use of naked charts. A short time ago I got fed up with information overload and the testing of different strategies with tools. So I switched to naked charts. That went fairly well but I couldn't seem to get any real runs. I also used to use EMA's in cross overs but would never be watching the correct pair at the correct time to catch a decent entry or exit point. I did have some short term but limited success with the sneak thief. I settled on a version 8/34 EMA of the no-name strategy. Then I watched Todd's original no-name presentation from way back which is a lot different than todays. My usage of Ema's left a great deal of wasted pips on both ends of the swings. I had previously worked with a strategy called BBands as taught by Kathy Leim which is the use of both the 1% adn2 % percent bands simultaneously. Again with limited success bouncing back and forth between the bands and riding the edges.
So one day I sat down and said something to the effect this has got to change, no options. I made a short list of what I needed and what I liked. One of my main concerns was a clean uncluttered screen. Next I had to have a better entry and exit system. I reviewed Bands again and decided I didn't like the center line so I blacked it out. Then I added an 8 HMA but subsequently removed it because of the clutter and I'm not a scalper. I added pivots to help in drawing patterns and for direction. Pivots always use two candles by design thus it’s a pretty late indicator. However pivots always show a change in direction, always. For example if I'm using H2 I can back at H1 and I will have a forecasted change in direction. I thought that was a very cool discovery on my part... LOL. I like the CCI it is never wrong, I had removed it to free up chart space recently I put it back to aid in such choppy markets and it is probably the fastest oscillators of the group to display, this it basically provides confluence.
Bottom line is I trade/ride between the two bands and I always go with the predominate trend and ride the band never the pull back. Remember trends start at the bottom and pull backs start at the top.
If you measure the distance with crosshairs between the bands you have the available number of pips in a potential trade then if the current PC is partially along the line between the bands subtract that amount of pips. Then I take 80% of that figure to compute my TP. When I want to be more aggressive I use the red pivot for my TP and SL. My normal SL is no less than 25 pips and I try to always have at least a 1:1 ratio.
The above will almost always yield a 90% win rate over 20 trades and 80% over 50 trades. I'm not sure I'll keep the smaller time frame window but it sure does cut down on the clicks...
Choosing the pairs to trades is another altogether. But I trade a basket of currencies to produce higher overall gross pips for the same market movements. See the thread "trading doesn't have to be difficult" especially the part about making a weekly S&W worksheet.
Now the last element that is necessary and I'm just learning is the proper use of money management from the Apiary Benjamin Formulary. Then the formulary result is applied via the %R in one click trading.
That kind of it in six parts, background, tool selection, trading viability, pair selection and finally risk management. Any monkey can trade with they see but not any monkey can manage risk successfully. At the end of the day it’s all about risk management and that is what Apiary really teaches. That said your emotions will be greatly reflected in your trading.
I hope that is what you looking for. Thanks for the opportunity to refine my process. Have a good week end and happy piping.