How do you play a whole note with a guitar? how do you play the different beats using a guitar?

Question

i am learning to read music but i want to learn it so i can read a piece and play it on the guitar... so i have learnt the dfifferent notes like the whole note, half,eight and so on...each have their own number of beats..the whole note has 4 beats...would that mean i would 'pick' that note 4 times?? .. thanks...

Answer 1

Only pick in the rhythm it tells you to - for a 'whole note' or semibreve (four beats) it is one tone, so pick and let ring.  A minim (half note) is two beats but one tone.  Only pick at the start of a note and allow it to ring for the length.

  

Answer 2

The first answer uses different terminology than I would, but is exactly correct.

Answer 3

You fret the note (just my guitar-speak for put your finger on the fret for the note) and pick the string (again, my guitar-speak for using your pick or finger for plucking the correct string) and hold it for 4 beats.

Half note is 2 beats, do the same as above but hold for 2 beats. Quarter note is one beat, do the above but hold for 1 beat.

Eighth note is a half beat, so 2 eighth notes equal one quarter note. Same as above BUT you play the next note almost immediately afterwards.

You have to learn the notes first! Reading music doesn't make you a musician! Those are just note beats. The actual notes are E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A! on guitar.