I came across fingerpicks while browsing through the web:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Alaska-Pik-Finger-Guitar-Pick-110630-i1123794.gc
Is it recommended that I buy them and use them for practice? I mean my nails are short because I have a bad habit of biting my nails. Or is it better to grow my nails instead?
It is entirely down to you. I personally don't like them, because I like the ability to choose whether to use my nails or the pads of my fingers, thus giving me a wider range of sounds, but they can give you a consistent pick.
This is one of those questions with no real answer other than - try them and see what you think.
I recommend trying them before buying them. I ordered a set of Alaska Piks online and found two issues (which other people may or may not experience):
In the end, I decided that buying Alaska Piks had been a mistake.
EDIT: No, I would NOT recommend finger picks because they preclude the rest stroke -- a very important technique for classical fingerstyle guitar. I WOULD recommend that you let you nails grow, but not too long -- just enough white to accent the release the release of the string during a rest stroke. (The shaping of your fingernail is important as well.)
ORIGINAL ANSWER FOLLOWS: I suppose that depends upon your fingerstyle style. In classical guitar, two different styles are used: the the rest stroke and the free stroke.
In the rest stroke, the flesh of the fingertip plays the note (accented by the fingernail). The finger follows through and comes to a rest against the neighboring string. Of the two techniques, this is more powerful and more precise. The rest provides an anchor for the following note(s) using other digits.
In the free stroke, as with most fingerstyle, the hand floats above the strings. The nails (or picks) are used predominantly, rather than the fingertip. Since the hand is floating, it can be more error-prone. And while the nail (or pick) generates a nice sound, it is not as powerful as the fingertip.
The two techniques each have their niche. I wouldn't do anything to preclude one for the other. I'd recommend that you let you nails grow, but not too long. Just enough white to accent the release.
Having said that, yet another alternative is "chicken-pickin'". One advocate of that style wears two long acrylic nails on his middle and ring fingers.
There are many styles. Suit yourself...
If this is about classical guitar, then ignore the following. But many styles of "fingerpicked" blues really require metal picks for the authentic sound. This is especially true for 12-string guitar, btw. Remember that these guys were often playing in the street or in a crowded bar, so they needed to make some noise! A lot of this music only uses the thumb and the first two fingers, because you only wear two fingerpicks and a thumb pick when playing. Many folk and blues players compromise and use just the thumb pick to get the bass fat and loud. There are also special picks that are hollow in the middle so that you can choose to involve the soft pads of your fingers if you'd like to change the sound.
There's no denying, though, that it's hard when you shift over, kind of like being a soccer player who tries to play hockey. Things'll feel very slippery for a while, but once you get it, you can really make some sound!
