Major HELP!!

[elud54]

Alright here is the deal....i started playing about a month and a half ago and mainly because i have a burning desire to learn how to play....i do not know how to read music and have never played an instrument in my life and i will not stop playing until i get it....but the problem is i am completely dumbfounded on playing songs....i go to tabcrawler and read either the tab or the chords and then listen to the song and i have NO IDEA what the strumming pattern is or even where to start for that matter.....for example: i am trying to play 'Let her Cry' by Hootie mainly because it sounds fairly easy and i am a big fan of theirs.....the first chord is supposedly G but then what....its hard to listen to the song and pick up when and at what speed i am supposed to strum. I am so lost .....your help would be greatly appreciated.....I just want to be able to play some songs

[cyberfret]

You should try and jump in a play some songs right way. But without some of the basics, you may be a little lost. Take a look in the first fret section of the site. Go through the chord lessons. You will also find a couple of lessons on strumming that will give you the basics. Also go through the "how to read Internet tab" lesson. That will help you decode some of the things that you are seeing. Once you have a little more background in the basics, I think you will have an easier time playing some songs.

First Fret Section
http://www.cyberfret.com/first-fret/index.php

--Shawn