What is an Alto Clef?

An alto clef is a musical symbol placed at the beginning of a staff that indicates a middle range of pitches. It is a type of C clef, which means the symbol shows the position of the note C on the staff. In the alto clef, the center of the symbol marks the third line of the staff as middle C.

The alto clef is most commonly used for the viola, whose range fits comfortably between the higher treble clef and the lower bass clef. By using the alto clef, music for the viola can be written clearly without needing too many ledger lines above or below the staff.

Because it places middle C in the center of the staff, the alto clef helps represent notes in a balanced middle register. While it is not as widely used as the treble or bass clef, it remains an important part of music notation for instruments that play within that mid-range.