beginning songs
 

I am a complete beginner when it comes to the guitar. I started learning about 2 months ago and just recently became a member of this site.

I started going through the beginner lessons, and I just had a question:

under practice songs->2 string songs->song of joy (my question actually deals with reading music in general, but I wanted to give you a point of reference) I see the notes for the song and the cords for the song above the notes (A,G,C,etc). I undersand how to play the cords, but when do I play them? Before the notes?

When To Strum
 

1. When you look at the top of top of the notation music (eg. Song Of Joy) the chords are written at the begging of the bar, the music is in 4/4 time so you'll strum at the beginning of the bar 4 times. At the moment we are not using any rhythm pattern so just make it \/ \/ \/ \/ (Down, Down, Down, Down).

You will play them on the notes, one guitarist will play the chords and another will play the melody (notes) but not both together.