Internet Tab: Chord Confusion

[Tune2b]

Hi all, my question is about tabs where they just put the chord name (e.g. C G D), and how you play them.
I have no problems with tabs like this:
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------2--0-------------------------0-----------------|
|--------0--2-----3----------3--2--0--------0--0b2-----2--3--2--0-----|
|--3--3--------3----------------------3--3-------------------------3--|
Where its one or 2 note(s) at the time.

BUT
lets take this for example:
G Em7
Old ..
C G/B Am
Sold ..
G Em C G/B Am
minutes ...
G Em7
But ..
C G/B Am
By..
G Em C D
We ...

My questions are:
1.How do you play that? do you strum once? play all the notes in the chord: lets say G:320003. You put your fingers in position and just strum all the strings? Do you mute the sound of played strings when changing chords?
2.How many time do you play them?
3.How do u know up and down stroke on each if it is played more than 1 time.
4.How do u know which for example G string the artists plays.
I have taken many tabs and can play(atleast sound like the song) the note by note ones, but when it comes to chords I cant even get it close to songs.
Help! Especially questions 1,2,3.
Thanks guys.

[talldeke]

The answers to your question may seem somewhat disappointing, but really isn't.

First of all, you have to remeber that not all internet tabs are of very detailed (like the second one your posted). That said, a chord sheet can be a really cool and powerful way to learn a lot of songs quickly. If you have the sheet music to a piece, than all your questions can be resolved fairly easily. However, without it, you are left to figure all that information out on your own. If you listen to the song, you should be able to hear when the chord changes are coming. If you sing or hum along with the song, you could probably very easily "feel" when the changes should come. Thats usually the easy part.

Figuring out a strummming pattern and locking into a rythm to bring coheriency to the melody can be a little challengin. I would suggest that you beging by listening to the song. Gently place your fretting hand over all the strings to mute them. Then without worrying about chord changes try to get into a grove with the rythm by strumming. One you feel like you have a good rythm down try to describe to yourself exactly what the pattern is. Maybe you decide the strum pattern is something like this:

1 & @ & 3 & 4 &
d u PM u u PM u


Once you have a rythm decided upon (it doesn't have to be exact neccesarily), try to decide when chord changes should naturally occur. Usually (but there are many exceptions) the changes come at regualar interval: every measure, half measure...

Now as far as determing exactly what voicing of a chord the origninal author used. This can be very tricky. They are so many differnt voicings of each chord that it would be difficult to try them all. I would start out with first postion chords and see how they sound. If they don't sound right try moving up the neck and maybe capoing and doing the appropriate chord modifications.

Like I hinted at earlier, this may be a disappointing answer topic. However, I don't think you want to get too carried away with playing something exactly like the original artist. Part of the fun of music is using your own creativity and skills to create something new. If you HAVE to know exactly how to play something buy the sheet music.

[Tune2b]

Actually this is not a disappoiting answer. The method you mentioned for figuring out the rhythem and pattern is helping. Chord change is still pretty hard for me but I guess I got to get my ear training going.
Thanks bud.