Piano Songs with Alberti Bass
297 songs — Alberti bass — a classical technique where the left hand plays broken chord patterns (low-high-middle-high) — defines much of Mozart, Haydn, and early Beethoven. Elegant, flowing accompaniment that supports melody without competing.
How alberti bass works
Alberti bass pattern: LH plays a broken chord in the order: lowest note, highest note, middle note, highest note (e.g., for C major: C-G-E-G repeated). Creates a continuous flow of background harmony.
LANDSLIDE
Fleetwood Mac
NEW YEAR'S DAY
U2
OH, PRETTY WOMAN
Roy Orbison
SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING
Peaches & Herb
SOMEONE YOU LOVED
Lewis Capaldi
SOMETHING IN THE WAY SHE MOVES
James Taylor
SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD
Barry Manilow
SWEET SIXTEEN
Billy Idol
THE BOXER
Simon & Garfunkel
VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR
The Buggles
BE UNTO YOUR NAME
Robin Mark
Distance
Christina Perri
HERE I AM
Air Supply
INTO THE NIGHT
Benny Mardones
IT WILL BE ME
Melissa Etheridge
LOVELY
Billie Eilish & Khalid
NOTHIN' 'BOUT LOVE MAKES SENSE
LeAnn Rimes
Oh, Pretty Woman
Roy Orbison
POISON IVY
The Lambrettas
SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY
Donna Summer
THE HAWAIIAN WEDDING SONG
Andy Williams
TRYING TO GET TO YOU
Elvis Presley
YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY
The Beatles
ASLEEP IN THE LIGHT
Keith Green
A SPACEMAN CAME TRAVELLING
Chris de Burgh
AVE MARIA
Beyonce
BEHIND BLUE EYES
The Who
BETWEEN HERE AND GONE
Mary Chapin Carpenter
EXPRESS YOURSELF
Madonna
FADED
Alan Walker
HOLDING BACK THE YEARS
Simply Red
LOVELY TO SEE YOU
The Moody Blues
SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS
ABBA
SLOW HANDS
Niall Horan
STARBOY
The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk
Video Games
Lana Del Rey
CIRCLE OF LOVE
Jennifer Nettles
FRIENDLY PERSUASION
Pat Boone
IN MY ROOM
The Beach Boys
I WILL REMEMBER YOU
Amy Grant
MORE THAN AMAZING
Lincoln Brewster
MORNINGSIDE
Neil Diamond
MY CITY WAS GONE
The Pretenders
MY NEXT BROKEN HEART
Brooks & Dunn
SEA OF LOVE
Phil Phillips
THE AIR THAT I BREATHE
The Hollies
WHERE I BELONG
Building 429
WITHOUT YOU
Jonathan Larson
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Frequently asked questions
- What is Alberti bass?
- Named after composer Domenico Alberti (1710-1740), Alberti bass is a classical left-hand pattern where you play broken chord notes in the order: lowest, highest, middle, highest. Heard throughout Mozart and early Beethoven sonatas.
- Is Alberti bass hard to play?
- Moderate difficulty — the pattern itself is mechanical, but maintaining steady tempo + even dynamics in the LH while playing expressive RH melody requires practice. Classic intermediate-level technique.
- What pieces use Alberti bass?
- Mozart's "Sonata in C Major" K. 545 (a.k.a. "Sonata Facile") is the textbook example. Many Haydn sonatas and Beethoven early works use it. Browse this collection for piano-friendly arrangements.