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.
BETTER THAN ME
Hinder
BLESS THE BEASTS AND CHILDREN
Carpenters
EMPTY CHAIRS
Don McLean
EVERY SEASON
Nichole Nordeman
HARD TO LOVE
Lee Brice
I'M READY
Willie Dixon
A PRETTY GIRL IS LIKE A MELODY
Irving Berlin
CASEY JONES
Grateful Dead
DON'T PLAY THAT SONG
Aretha Franklin
I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU
Al Green
JUST A GAME
Birdy
KANSAS CITY
Wilbert Harrison
STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART
Bryan Adams
THE BOXER
Simon & Garfunkel
UNCHAINED MELODY
The Righteous Brothers
UN GIORNO PER NOI
Josh Groban
VINCENT
Don McLean
DECEMBER
Norah Jones
FRANKLIN'S TOWER
Grateful Dead
I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG
Otis Redding
MARRY YOU
Bruno Mars
MORE LOVE
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
BIRTHDAY
The Beatles
DOMINIQUE
The Singing Nun
HOW SOON
Henry Mancini
I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME
The Paris Sisters
She's a Rainbow
The Rolling Stones
WALK THIS WAY
Aerosmith
WORLD
Bee Gees
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
Elvis Presley
ELEANOR RIGBY
The Beatles
GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
Alan Parsons Project
MY REDEEMER LIVES
Reuben Morgan
OLD FLAMES
Dolly Parton
PRESSURE
Billy Joel
I FALL TO PIECES
Aaron Neville
IT'S SO EASY
Linda Ronstadt
Joker & the Thief
Wolfmother
THE NIGHT IS YOUNG
Billy Rose
Scarborough Fair/Canticle
Simon & Garfunkel
BEAT IT
Michael Jackson
CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
Elvis Presley
ONLY YOU
The Platters
RUBY BABY
Dion
RUBY TUESDAY
The Rolling Stones
TODAY
The New Christy Minstrels
LIE TO ME
5 Seconds of Summer
LOVE
John Lennon
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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.