practice / what to learn next?

You know what you should have learned. So, do something about it :)

If you've got the money (and it is WELL worth the money), get a guitar teacher IMMEDIATELY, before you work on anything else in this post. If you are upfront with what you know, then they will be able to figure out easily what you should do next. A good one will proceed to inspire you and light a fire under your butt.

It seems like you know basic open chords. Look up 7th chords for A-E, learn them, and get on some 12 bar blues, just to get yourself comfortable with playing to a rhythm (which is something, I believe, you have noted some concern with). Then, learn the rest of Good Riddance and track down an easy strumming version of Sweet Child O' Mine. It's pretty easy. (as a Green Day fan, it's a personal pet peeve when people call it "Time of Your Life".)

Next step after that is barre chords on the 6th and 5th string, and with that, learning a nice bit of theory - where notes are on the fretboard and whatnot.

Past that, get a metronome. That will help with keeping time. Practice playing a song to a metronome (it is HARD and disorienting at first, but you would not believe how much it helps you!).

Good luck!
-Rodya

guitar lessons are kinda expensive, if i could even find a teacher anywhere in my town. so i can't take lessons. but your other suggestions were helpful, i'm gonna find out what 7th chords are, and the other stuff you suggested. And i think i might actually use the metronome i have, i've tried to use it before, but it just messed me up, but now i see that it can actually help. and i'm gonna learn the rest of Good Riddance, do you know where i could get the correct tab for it, cause i've seen alot a different ones, and i'm not sure if the one i've been useing is correct?

xtremesheep

You say you know lots of power chords. That's pretty normal, lots of guitarists start with that. But learn the full forms. Start with your basic E chord. Learn to barre all 6 strings and put the E chord behind it. Now you will be able to play any Major chord right up the neck. Do the same thing with an A chord, and C chord. These are the most common forms of a Major barre chord. But learn to barre a D and G as well. Those are a little tougher. Now learn your Minor chords this same way. Play a basic Em at open position. Now barre at first fret and play the Em behind it. You have a F Minor. Go right up the neck. Now you can play every minor chord. But do this with the Am and Dm forms as well. For 7th chords, learn the basic E7, A7, and D7. Now put them behind a barre and move them up the neck.

There are also great 7th chords that do not involve a barre yet are very easy to move up the neck. A B7 and C7 chord are extremely easy to move up the neck.

So start with the Major, Minor, and 7th chords. Then Minor 7ths. Then 9th chords. You cannot know enough chords.

As Rodya said, play with a metronome or drummer. Timing is extemely important. You may know every chord and scale known, but if you cannot play in time it will stick out like a sore thumb.

As for learning songs, learn the whole song. Try picking some super easy ones first. You cannot just start out playing Metallica day one. Pick a nice easy song with 3 or 4 chords with a simple strum. People will be far more impressed if you can play this song complete versus the intro to Sweet Child O' Mine.

I say this all the time, people are probably tired of hearing it. It is better to play one single song well than bits and pieces of hundreds of songs. Have you ever watched a good Country band on TV? You will see one guy or gal sitting in the background strumming simple chords. But that guy is a PRO. And very likely well known and respected in the music world. You see, that guy understands it's important to play well, not fancy or show-off. People want to hear songs (even super simple ones), not bits and pieces of super songs that you obviously can't play. They always show bad Magicians in comedies. You know, the guy that can't find the rabbit that is supposed to be in his hat. That is what people look like when they can't play complete songs. So start learning very simple songs within your ability and learn to play the complete song. Over time your skills will develop and you will be able to play the more difficult songs. You have to be smart about playing guitar. You may only know a little, but you can make that sound good, and people will call you a good guitar player. Just like that guy in the Country band.