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How is sul A played?
Play the indicated notes on the A string even where another fingering would be easier. On violin the standard strings are G–D–A–E, so A is second-highest; on viola and cello C–G–D–A makes it the highest; on standard four-string double bass E–A–D–G makes it second-lowest. Composers use sul A to fix one string’s timbre, keep a melodic line on a consistent colour or force a particular position. Continue for the marked line or span until a new string instruction, cancellation or clear end of the indication.
How does sul A sound?
A consistent, characterful tone colour belonging to that single string, often warmer or more covered than the same pitches played across several strings.
In context
Italian sul means “on the”, so sul A means “on the A string”. Official notation documentation and published scores write the phrase in full; a critical edition explains that pitch-name labels such as sul A can instead be converted to Roman numerals, with I meaning the highest string and IV the lowest. Those letters and numerals are alternative string indications, not abbreviations of sul A, and their physical position depends on the instrument’s tuning.