Hey Chad-
You read my mind. I've been conceptualizing a tutorial on "acoustic rock strumming" and hope to put it together soon.
I listened to the song you mentioned, and I hear strumming, not fingerpicking. That may be one reason it doesn't sound quite right to you.
Personally, I tend to be strong in learning songs "by ear", so I do not frequent tab or chord sites. You might try to connect with some other Guitar Tricks subscribers to see what tab and chord sites they like best.
I do think that committing to learning a specific song in the same way that the recording artist plays it is a GREAT way to expand your guitar horizons. Here on Guitar Tricks, the instructors are limited in teaching a specific song due to copyright law. We can teach techniques and influences, but not specific songs that have been copyrighted. That is why my song examples are all traditional folk songs in the public domain. I am hoping my online students will find their way to applying the techniques I teach to whatever songs they wish to play.
One idea I have for you is to take a handful of your favorite guitar songs to an experienced guitar teacher and buy yourself a handful of lessons, saying, "I want to learn how to play THIS SONG". By studying and perfecting another player's techniques, you will become a much stronger player yourself.
Good luck, and keep me posted! - Lisa
