I always hear the violinists in our orchestra complaining about how stupid the alto (viola) clef is and how great the G Clef is! Is it just me, or is alto clef the best one? I mean, think about it: it`s symetrical; it`s right between the highest clef and the lowest clef, and middle C actually is in THE MIDDLE OF THE STAVE! Shouldn`t all instruments be written in this clef? Besides, tenor and soprano clefs are definitely the most confusing.

I LOVE the french violin clef even though im an oboist!

I`m a violinist...and violist now. But I never comment on the type of instrument. I love music and whatever instrument i don`t care they all can produce great music. I believe there should be 10 times more viola concertos but there isn`t and bass there isn`t a lot eather.The obvious instruments take less to handle and master. but instruments that only people that are involved know they take a lot more. I think it`s childish to complain about staff and popularity or whatever. I mean stop the viola jokes come on lol.

Clef? Best? What-EvEr!

Really, isn`t it just a simple matter of readability? Try writing a violin part on the C clef. Practically the whole part would be literally "off the chart". What`s your point?!

Sorry Bill. I didn`t exactly mean that the viola clef should be used for every instrument in the orchestra. Of course some instruments are too low or too high. I happen to like tenor clef. But alto clef makes so much sense!

And thank you Erica. STOP THE VIOLA JOKES NOW!!!

Re: "I always hear the violinists in our orchestra complaining about how stupid the alto (viola) clef is and how great the G Clef is! Is it just me, or is alto clef the best one? I mean, think about it: it`s symetrical; it`s right between the highest clef and the lowest clef, and middle C actually is in THE MIDDLE OF THE STAVE!"

That`s "staff", not "stave". "Staff" is the singular form; "staves" is the plural form--just like "leaf/leaves", "knife/knives", etc.

Re: "Sorry Bill. I didn`t exactly mean that the viola clef should be used for every instrument in the orchestra. Of course some instruments are too low or too high. I happen to like tenor clef. But alto clef makes so much sense!"

Not to me it doesn`t. The viola is tuned just like a cello only an octave higher. The cello uses the bass clef. I don`t see any reason the viola can`t use the bass clef and read it an octave higher. Please don`t tell me that octave transposition is a problem: the double bass, the bass guitar, the guitar, and the tenor voice all read with octave transposition.

The viola is the only modern instrument that currently uses the alto clef. The alto clef is like a language only one person speaks. (The tenor clef is used by the double bass, the cello, the bassoon, and the trombone.)

Aaagh! Thank you Scotch for methodically pulling apart my points one by one.
As far as the "stave/staff" thing goes, I remember reading that "stave" was the British way of saying "staff", similar to their saying "crotchet" and "quaver" instead of "quarter note" and "eighth note". I may be wrong on this, but...
Plus, viola uses alto clef instead of octave-transposition bass clef because viola is special! No, but seriously, on the whole "The alto clef is like a language only one person speaks", I must disagree. It`s more like "The alto clef is like a language only one NATION speaks." It`s not like viola is so such an uncommon instrument that it can`t have its own clef. We`re happy with alto. Besides, if double bass, bass guitar, etc. want to have octave transposition, that`s their OWN problem. I don`t care. Alto clef makes the best sense for viola - no tranposition is fine with me!

Re: "Aaagh! Thank you Scotch for methodically pulling apart my points one by one."

I have to say you took this better than I expected. The last viola partisan to whom I presented this arguments screamed obscenities and then refused ever to speak to me again.

Re: "As far as the `stave/staff` thing goes, I remember reading that "stave" was the British way of saying `staff, similar to their saying `crotchet` and `quaver` instead of `quarter note` and `eighth note`. I may be wrong on this, but...

Yeah, well, don`t get me started on "crochet" and "quaver". The Germans and Americans name note values logically. The French and Italians name note values according to how the notes look on paper, which is amusing but not especially helpful. The British method, on the other hand, is just perverse.

Re: "Plus, viola uses alto clef instead of octave-transposition bass clef because viola is special! No, but seriously, on the whole `The alto clef is like a language only one person speaks`, I must disagree. It`s more like `The alto clef is like a language only one NATION speaks.`"

I myself find it difficult to agree or disagree with an analogy, although I may agree or disagree with the point the analogy illustrates. (Two things that are analogous--in contradistinction to two things that are homologous--are alike in one or more respects and different in other respects, and argument by analogy is a logical fallacy.) It`s true that there are many violists in the world, but I`m not familiar with any music written for an ensemble comprising violists only.

Re: "It`s not like viola is so such an uncommon instrument that it can`t have its own clef. We`re happy with alto. Besides, if double bass, bass guitar, etc. want to have octave transposition, that`s their OWN problem. I don`t care. Alto clef makes the best sense for viola - no tranposition is fine with me!"

Your viola nation reminds me of Japan before Admiral Perry.

Re: Me: "....I presented this arguments...."

Wish I could edit these postings.

u guys are so silly! one clef or another...grr!

I AGREE! I play 3 instruments (viola, piano, flute) and the Alto Clef is definately the easiest!
and at my school for the music wing they have a G Clef made out of lights.
I find this musically racist!
They all know the Alto clef is the best, they`re just jealous

Just to tell you, the alto clef was not originally made for the viola. It was meant to be the clef used for alto voice in the choir. Also some other insturments use the alto clef occasionaly, such as the Trombone and the English Horn.

Re: "Also some other insturments use the alto clef occasionaly, such as the Trombone and the English Horn."

Not any more they don`t; this practice is obsolete. The alto clef for the trombone lingered longer in Russia for some reason, but it`s expired now.