Note NamesAlto and tenor clef notes
Both are C clefs: the middle of the clef points at the line that is middle C. Alto clef is the viola's clef; tenor clef appears in higher cello, bassoon and trombone parts.
Alto clef: middle C on the middle line
In the alto clef the centre of the clef sits on the third line, and that line is middle C. The lines, bottom to top, are F A C E G; the spaces are G B D F.
Tenor clef: middle C on the fourth line
The tenor clef is the same symbol moved up a line, so middle C is the fourth line. The lines are D F A C E; the spaces are E G B D.
How to read them faster
- Find C first. Wherever the clef points is middle C. Everything else is a step or two away.
- Alto from treble: a note in the alto clef is named one letter up from the same spot in the treble clef (bottom line F instead of E).
- Tenor from treble: a note in the tenor clef is named one letter down from the same spot in the treble clef (bottom line D instead of E).
Questions
Where is middle C in the alto clef?
On the middle (third) line, where the clef points.
Where is middle C in the tenor clef?
On the fourth line from the bottom.
Which instruments use the alto clef?
Mainly the viola. It also appears in some trombone and early vocal music.
Which instruments use the tenor clef?
Cello, bassoon and trombone use it for their higher passages.