Whole note (semibreve)
A whole note sounds for twice a half note, or four quarter notes. Its open notehead has no stem; the number of beats it receives depends on the time signature, so it does not always fill a whole bar.
- Notes and rests
- On the staff itself
- An oval or notehead
Do not confuse it with
A half note also has an open head, but it has a stem; a whole note does not.
What the sources say
- SMuFL — Individual notes
noteWhole — Whole note (semibreve)
- Note Duration
Two half notes occupy the same amount of time as one whole note.
- Steps to Music Theory — The Basics I: Notes and Rests
Whole note: An unfilled notehead without a stem.