Hello, I've recently(yesterday) purchased an electric guitar + amp after a long while saving up I'm determined that I will learn it. I have absolutely no idea where to start, could anyone help me? I'm interested in metal and would like to learn of these "powerchords" eventually hehe.

Something startled me whilst trying to learn how tabs work. It spoke of there being 1st and 2nd frets and then the 3rd having a dot on it. Well my guitar begins with a metal bar thingy and then a dot right after it, asthough the first is skipped out? the dots continue up as it said (with 12th having 2 dots etc) from this 3rd dot but it worried me? I have a Fender left-handed Stratocaster, am I mistaken or is this a fault?

Thanks in advance for any replies/help.

Rob.