I've been playing bass for a bit and know my way around the fretboard but still don't know the notes im hitting. what were some ways everyone studied the fretboard to memorize the notes? i wanna be able to know the fretboard up and down, left and right, but haven't found that way to really relate to it so i can retain it. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I did Octave jumps to start with.

I'll play a note, then it's octave (2 strings "up" and 2 frets to the right), and say the name of each note. Like this (excuse the tab):

G|---------------------|
D|---2----3-----4----5|
A|---------------------|
E|-0----1----2-----3--|

As you play the notes, say each note, so to play the above, you would play and say "E, E, F, F, F#, F#, G, G". Go at least up to the 12th fret (of the low note). From there, it repeats (12th fret E string is E etc).

If you play the octaves with a 1-3-2-4 finger pattern (fretting hand) and to a metronome, you can work on 3 things at once - fretboard knowledge, fingering, and timing.

Once I get to the 12th fret I will come back down and name the flat notes on the way down.

After a while I realised that the notes are always in the same place in relation to each other so no matter where you play a G note, B, C and D will always be in the same position in relation to G.

Once I realised that relationship I started drilling more arpeggio's in my daily practice. I still only do a basic set up the fretboard but it's better than what I was doing 12 months ago LOL! (ie, no theory study at all!), and apparantly (according to the material I have on arpeggio's) I am improving my triad knowledge as well, but I don't see any results of that yet.

In the end, provided you take note of which notes you are playing while you practice, any exercise you do will help build your fretboard knowledge. It's when you "just play" that you miss all nuances of this instrument. I know, I "played" for ten years before I chose to really start learning to play.

You can also try Pacman's method:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50170

Absolute Fretboard Trainer

http://www.absolutefretboard.com/

Give it 15 minutes a day for a couple of weeks and you'll be amazed at your progress.

Absolute Fretboard Trainer

http://www.absolutefretboard.com/

Give it 15 minutes a day for a couple of weeks and you'll be amazed at your progress.

+1 This program is one of the best by far.

I second Pacman's thread. I picked up the bass a number of years ago for a couple of months. I was able to call out any note on the fretboard with no hesitation after two weeks of using Pacman's method.

I just picked up the bass again, and started using this method yesterday. It was like starting all over. After a day of playing with it, I'm just about to the point of calling out any note without hesitation. I'm sure I'll be there in a couple of days.