You're doing fine. I learned the same way (from tabs that is) and I have been playing for 18 years. I'm sure it would have been better for me to learn from a teacher but I didn't. Just be sure that, once you learn the song, to play along with the recorded version of the song and not the GP5 version. It's just not the same. You may want to pick up a book on theory or something so that you can learn what you are playing and be able to communicate with other musicians in an efficient way in case you ever come into a band situation.

Get a drum machine or a drum track on your computer, listen to the beat and find a rhythm in it, i find rhythm can be more of a feel than just a set way of playing.

Just what I was going to say, inablackout. Well, similar anyway...

You're going for rhythm, so you need to fit in with drums and bass. Rhythm fills the gaps in the groove. Listening to drum parts and concentrating on the beat will help. Time will help even more.

The main suggestions I have are to work on your meter and rhythm (as others have said). Meter is something you can practice on your own. Get a metronome and play along to the click. Start with something easy (simple chords and strumming patterns) and work your way up. I would highly recommend getting into the habit of tapping your foot to keep your in time. For rhythm, start playing along to recordings.

Not sure what your long term goals are, but playing with others will help your guitar skills grow exponentially. I find *immense* joy in jamming with other musicians. If you have friend that is learning guitar too, get together and jam out some songs. As soon as I could put a few chords together I was calling people looking to play. What is even better is if you have friends that play other instruments: bass, drums, viola, piano, bouzouki, voice, tambourine, kazoo, whatever. Jamming with other people will not only make you a better guitar player, it will also make you a better musician.

Look at standard notation on GP5 and try to learn the standard notation for rhythm, you'll be fast learning so far.

what everyone else said, plus, and i cant stress how important this is.... learn as much about phrasing as you possibly can, cos at the end of the day, thats what it comes down to. that, and timing.

Excellent advice. LISTEN to what the drums are doing. Oh yea, did I say LISTEN to the drums? In a live situation, a good bass player will be locking in on the drummer too. If you also lock in on the drummer, while keeping an ear out on the bass, you'll find you being a part of the rhythmn section will find yourself as tight as a drum, which is the goal of a good rhythmn section.

Also, as a guitar player, you don't have to be strumming all the time. You might be picking a riff, or even just hitting a note or two. Your goal is not to play some cool thing, but to add to the foundation of the song that makes the whole sound good. And oh yea, knowing when NOT to play is just as important as knowing when to play.

personally, i went to alot of live shows and watched numerous concert videos before i started playing guitar. it was watching my favorite bands that made me want to pick up the guitar and emulate them. but that's just me. i learn better from watching as opposed to reading......

It sounds to me like you're on the right track. I'd just keep on what you're doing, get a metronome or drum machine. I don't know what music you like, but study the styles of some of the rhythm players you like. I spent a lot of time learning songs, reading interviews, and listening to the who because I think that Pete Townsend was a great rhythm player. I just learned everything I could about his playing and eventually other players then started applying it to my own playing. I learned theory from a guitar teacher but I really learned who to play from writing songs.