When playing/learning guitar, when do you play “chords” or strings within those chords?

Question

I don’t really understand how to play guitar or even how to approach learning.

Do you just memorize chords? When do you play individual strings instead of a full strum? Are certain notes and chords assigned to different keys?

It seems way above my head lol.

Help.

In: Other

Answer 1

The answer is: when the song calls for it. I’m not sure how else to answer. Some parts will call for full chords, some parts will call for arpeggios, some parts will call for single notes. It depends on how the part is written, or whatever the guitarist feels like doing at the moment.

Full strummed chords might sound more intense than an arpeggiated chord, which might sound more somber. Things like that might tie into why a songwriter might choose to play things a certain way, but there are no rules and there are always exceptions.