Notes don't stick! Fingerboard remains a mystery.

Try to remember scale shapes visually to start off with. The graphic approach is easy to remember. For example, take the box shape of a pentatonic scale and correlate the visual shape with the notes. A scale is linear so if you follow the path of the shape you know what every note is.

(you may need a chart of the notes in the scale if you don't know them.-see www.jguitar.com for that)

This will not cover all the notes, but just the ones in the scale. This is good because if you know where the A is, then the A# can't be too far from there right? Eventually you will remember many of the note locations of that scale, then try new scales to really twist the brain.

Another thing to consider is to try to hear the notes! (some people can hear notes and tell you what they are, I know it's crazy!) Test yourself by playing a c for instance, then looking away from the fret board, play random notes until you think you hear another c. Learning the sound of notes is a long term project so don't get frustrated. Even if you aren't perfect it will begin to build new neuro-pathways!

As a last resort make a note chart of the neck on paper and put it under your pillow, you never know!

Hope this helps. Good luck

i can read notes, but slowly because i dont practice it that much. but the way i memorized it in like...a week or less, was to remember the spacing between the notes and when to start over. its super simple. A-A#-BC-C#-D-D#-EF-F#-G-G#, then when you put that with the root note of each string. you can name off the notes all the way up. (its easy to remember if you just forget sharps and flats for now, work on the natural notes).

another trick i learned for the vioin was to cut pieces of colored paper and tape it under the strings in-between the frets. and write the letters in sharpie on the paper. its pretty cheesy, but it worked.

hope i helped! :P

Here is how classical guitar players do it. It is the easiest and most painless way to do it and only takes a couple to weeks to get it down.

Learn the notes of the open strings, 1st fret, 3rd fret, 5th fret, 7th fret, 10th fret, and finally the 12th. This is where the majority of the notes lay without sharps or flats with a couple of exceptions. Once you know all these you know your way around the entire fretboard and can find the sharps or flats by association. For example, you want to play C# on the second string, C is on the first fret, so second fret is C#, and so on. No need to memorize all the sharps and flats.

EDIT Also, if it helps get some 3x5 cards and write down the notes for only the frets mentioned above. Go through the cards each day for maybe 10 minutes saying the notes from low to high and high to low until you get them right, no mistakes and without thinking too hard.

I use some tricks. If you learn to correlate the 3rds 5ths 7ths w/ the notes all of your problems are gone:

C Scale = C D E F G A B 1 3 5 7

You play a C where the 1=C // 3rd=E // 5th=G Now if you use a C chord in 8th fret root 6 (means you play the root note in low E string 8th fret)

You memorize where the 3rd is you know it's an E if you play a C Major chord You memorize where the 5th is you know it's an G if you play a C Major chord You memorize where the 7th is you know it's an B if you play a C Major chord (hey the 7th is just 1 step behinh the root

Another very good trick this is the ultimate blues trick: play a C in 8th fret (root note) play the 4th just one string up (A string 8 th fret) - you get the F play the 5th just one step up (A string 10 th fret) - you got a G

You got the blues!!! the notes CFG memorized and you got the root 4th and 5th of any chord played this way.

For example if you want a blues in E you: play a E in 12th fret (root note) play the 4th just one string up (A string 12 th fret) - you get the A play the 5th just one step up (A string 14 th fret) - you got a B

Two more tricks and you're done: the notes in low E string are the same for high E string - remember that when you solo. the note in for example: 5th fret E string is the same as 7th fret G string - always (in this case it's an A // but if you play 3rd fret E string G then you get a G in 5th fret G string.)

Try saying the names of the notes out loud as you're playing scales. Actually verbalizing the name of a note will activate different circuits in your brain that will help make the knowledge stick. It's a little like the old Dale Carnegie trick for remembering people's names; When you meet someone new, repeat their name back to them: "Nice to meet you, Eddie". After that introduction, you'll be more likely to remember Eddie's name.

Start with the chromatic scale, ascending and descending. Then move on to other scales. Go slowly so you have time to actually say the note while playing it. Don't try to go too fast. There are other exercises you will do to improve speed. This one is all about memory.