How to Read Alto Clef

Just to start this out with a weak beginning, let me say that alto clef is pretty much never used. To my knowledge, the only instrument that utilizes it is viola (AKA the best instrument). However, I guess some non-violists just want to learn alto clef to become a more well-rounded and knowledgeable musician. Alto clef is also really useful for writing down melodies in the lower range of female vocalists, like for verses and such, if you don't want to drown in ledger lines. It can also be used for the upper range of male vocalists. But no matter what your purpose is, learning alto clef is quite simple. Let me show you to this land of violas; I promise it won't hurt (probably).

Picture from here

First, let me introduce you to the notes of alto clef. The spaces, from bottom to top, read GBDF. There are several ways to remember this; you could think about a G major chord plus F or a G7 chord. You could also remember the phrase "good boys deserve fries/fudge", which is coincidentally (almost) the same way to remember the lines of treble clef.

The lines, from bottom to top, read FACEG. Of course, the easiest way to remember this is to just think "face G". You could also remember the phrase "first, always check every grade", "Frozen always can enrage grandma", or "freakish apples can't even gamble". Making up your own silly phrase is also a good idea.

If you already know treble clef, then you can kind of apply it to alto clef. Disregarding which octave, the notes in alto clef are one note above the ones in treble clef. For example, if the note would be a C in treble clef, then going up one note, it would be a D in alto clef. If in treble clef it would be an F, then in alto clef it would be a G. However, for transposing purposes, note that the octaves are wonky between the two clefs. For example, the G that's on the second line of treble clef (G4) is on the fifth line of alto clef. If you only need to know the notes of alto clef and that was confusing, just disregard those few sentences.

Anyway, the opposite is true for bass clef. Again, not caring about octaves, the notes in alto clef are one note below the ones in bass clef. For example, if it would be a C in bass clef, then it would be a B in alto clef. If it's an E in bass clef, then it's a D in alto clef. And just for reference if you are transposing between clefs, the G that's on the fourth space of bass clef (G3) is the same G that's on the first space of alto clef.

A good website called MusicTheory.net has lots of exercises to practice different types of staff identification, keyboard identification, interval identification, etc. They have an exercise (linked here) where you have to figure out what note is pictured on the staff, and you can choose what clefs you want to practice. It includes all seven staffs, and you can also choose the keys used and amount of ledger lines possible.