Everybody progresses differently. Take your time, learn the chords, their progressions, scales and your timing. Everyone has to crawl before they can walk so don't expect too much without learning the basics first. For me I would concentrate on learning the chords and developing some rythem before trying to learn a bunch of songs. Once you learn how to hear the rythem of a song you will begin to develope the strum pattern for the song. Scales are very important but timing and rythem are more important because without that knowledge you will not be able move into any lead patterns.
Learning chords, chord progressions and how to change from chord to chord can be difficult but will get easier as you develope your skills. (If you are right handed) You must learn to strum with your right hand to the rythem (strum pattern of a song) Start with something simple such as (4/4 time) down, up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down ( this is read as 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 (repeats). Now your right hand strums and your left hand forms the chords. You must develope your timing for in order to get your right hand and left hand working together. As you strum - 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1..... your chord changes will come on the "1". Each 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and will be a "bar". Make up your own progressions such as G...C...D or D...G...A or A...D...E (with these 3 simple chord progressions you can play thousands of songs). Start with the G chord and play it for 4 bars, change to the C chord and play for 2 bars, change to the D chord and play for 2 bars, change to the G chord and repeat everything. (do the same with each progression) Learning to form the chords with your left hand correctly to achive a good sound will take time but your right hand is just as important as that is where your timing will come from. As you strum NEVER - EVER stop your right hand - ALWAYS keep it in motion. Your left hand will need to be brought into timing with your right hand in order to maintain the tempo of any song. Start slow and your timing will come.
This is kinda off the topic but it is something I wish I had been told when I started. Learn how to form a "G" chord with your middle, ring and pinky fingers instead of your index, middle and ring finger - this makes it much easier to switch to a "C" or "G7" chord. Learn to form a "E" chord with your middle, ring and pinky fingers - this will make it easier to form E shaped barre chords. Learn to form a "A" chord with only your ring finger as it will help later on in forming an A shaped barre chord.
Anyway, I hope this helps.
Nela
