Strum Patterns

Strum anything aimlessly then.  Or aim it yourself.  And don't presume that just because there's a chord arrangement that it's necessarily 'correct' either. 

Early Morning Rain is on Chordie - I've got it in my Songbook.  I haven't checked for the other two, but I'd be surprised if they aren't around.

- Zurf

Could anyone answer the question I was really asking?  If the lyrics & chords are shown for a song, is there some reason why the strum patterns are not also shown?

There must be an appropriate (or suggested) strum pattern with any particular song?  I know people can use variations but you can also vary chords.  I just thought as a guideline it would help if there was even the slightest indication of the strum pattern to use & yet it seems this is never shown (not just on Chordie.com but elsewhere too).  I just wondered what the reason behind not providing the strum pattern is.

I suggest a book called The Complete Guitar Player Songbook.  It has what you're looking for. 

Most songs don't have strum patterns for several reasons.  One, it'd make writing it out quite complicated as strum patterns change a LOT in songs.  Further, being a beginner, you'd find trying to strum along difficult but a simpler arrangement is something you can do.  So not only would you have to find strum patterns, but strum patterns arranged for beginners.  Two, not everyone "hears" the song the same.  In general, the songs that people know are played by bands, and when you play at home it's generally just you.  So, let's say you have two guitars, a bass, and a drummer - the classic rock quartet.  Anyone writing from four instruments to one is going to have make an arrangement on the song based on the way they hear it and what they think is important in what they hear.  Some people hear the lead, some the rhythm, some the bass line.  Which would you get?  Hard to say. 

Third, Tabs tell you which strings to play.  You listen along for the rhythm and look at the tabs for what strings/frets to play.  So, you get what you're asking for by looking at a Tab of a song and a Chord sheet of a song.  The problem I have with Tabs is what I said above about everyone hearing the songs differently. 

- Zurf

Thank you all.  That is of some help to me, thanks  :-)

And I can assure you I have no intention of giving up, even if I am cr**! Lol.  I started learning on a really cheap rubbish guitar over a year ago.  It was so painful to play that I was 'grimacing' trying to fret & my wrist was aching every chord I tried to play, but despite all the pain I still wanted to continue for some reason!...Mad!  Anyway, I've recently purchased a decent guitar & am finally starting to get somewhere & I love it.  At 41 years old I doubt I will ever be any good but I find it so relaxing and enjoyable that that in itself is good enough reason to continue.