Which clef is used for viola and trombone to avoid excessive ledger lines, with middle C on the center line?

• A. Bass clef
• B. Alto clef
• C. Treble clef
• D. Bar line

Answer: (B)

Placing middle C on the center line is what the alto clef does. It’s a C-clef set so the third line of the staff represents middle C. This arrangement makes the viola’s usual range read cleanly, because notes around middle C land on staff lines rather than needing many ledger lines below or above. In practice, viola parts are almost always written in this clef for that readability benefit, and trombone parts that sit in that middle range can also be read more easily in this clef. The other options don’t place middle C on the center line: treble clef puts middle C on a line below the staff, bass clef places it on a line above the staff with ledger lines, and a bar line isn’t a clef at all. So the alto clef is the best fit for this scenario.