First Position
Notice how although your fingers move individually to play the notes of the scale, your hand position does not have to move. With all the notes you have learned, your hand remains in what is termed first position on the violin. There are also many other notes which can be played in first position.
Key Signature of A Major
Instead of writing a sharp sign before every F#, C# and G# note, it is easier to write the sharps just once immediately after the treble clef. This is called a key signature. It means that all these notes are played as sharps throughout the piece, even though there are no sharp signs before individual notes. Three sharps after the treble clef represents the key signature of A Major.
When a piece consists of notes from a particular scale, it is said to be written in the key which has the same notes as that scale. For example, if a song contains mostly notes from the A major scale, it is said to be in the key of A major. This melody uses all the notes of the A major scale. Notice the key signature, which shows the notes F#, C# and G#.
This beautiful melody is also in the key of A major.
Here is another piece created from the notes of the A major scale. This one contains all the note values you have learned up to this point. Remember to alternate your bow strokes regardless of the note values.
