About the compatibility between meditation methods, guides, trainings and teachers, and other questions regarding Samadhi

Being acquainted with Buddhism (although in a pretty shallow and intellectual fashion) since a few years now, I've just realized that I had almost no experience in meditation at all. It was only recently that I started training on and studying about Samadhi, and all this time without a teacher or proper guidance, mainly because in my country Buddhism is still "in diapers". As I'm more inclined to Theravāda teachings, I'd like to have some advice from more experienced theravadin meditators (i.e. from people whose main source of information are the Pali Suttas). A few questions (all coming from almost complete ignorance, so excuse me if I using some words in an incorrect manner): 1) What is the best way, according to the suttas, to cultivate the mind in right attention and right samadhi? 2) Should "noting" meditation be used when doing samatha or jhāna meditation? 3) (For those of you acquainted with the works of Upasaka Culadasa) Is the guide offered in The Mind Illuminated compatible with other Theravāda teachers' guides, such as those from Venerables Thanissaro, Brahm , Yuttadhammo, Mahasi Sayadaw, Ajahn Chah, Analayo and Goenka? I just bought this book and I like to know what to keep and what to ignore from it. 4) How do the methods from the above mentioned teachers differ from one another? And are these differences reconcilable? I would appreciate any advice or knowledge from you. Even if only one question of these can be answered, I'd be grateful. Thanks for your time and patience!