Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: JasperP

im a beginner player and had a question on playing scales. When I look at the hole scale of c major do I play all 18 notes or just the notes c d e f g a b c and as I learn do I add the rest of the notes that go along with the scale.

Just playing the notes of the scale in one octave in the lowest position is fine for beginners. You can work on playing across the fretboard in higher octaves & positions later when you need those skills.

The reason is that you should keep your theory, practice & playing skills on approximately the same level. There's no reason for a beginner to start playing a major scale all over the guitar! When you begin you are just learning basic skills, chords, scales & songs. And the basic major scale is perfectly suited to that level & purpose.

|------------------------|------------------------|[br]|------------------0-1--|--1-0------------------|[br]|-------------0-2-------|-------2-0-------------|[br]|-----0-2-3-------------|------------3-2-0-----|[br]|--3---------------------|--------------------3---|[br]|------------------------|-------------------------|

Also, if you aren't yet, I encourage you to work through the Guitar Fundamental 1 & 2 courses.

https://www.guitartricks.com/beginner.php

In those courses you will get the concepts & skills integrated in one package, taught together at the right pace. When you get to Guitar Fundamentals 2 you will get a whole chapter on how to play major scales & how to apply them to music.

https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=fundamentals2

Hope this helps! Best of success!