Piano Songs with Octave Bass
2,110 songs — Octave bass — the left hand plays the same note one or two octaves apart, alternating or simultaneously — gives songs a powerful, anthemic feel. Common in rock ballads, pop power-songs, and dramatic accompaniment.
How octave bass works
Octave bass pattern: LH plays a root note + the same note an octave below or above, either alternating (boom-boom) or together (block octaves). Builds energy through register width without changing harmony.
HOMETOWN GLORY
Adele
I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE
Carole King
IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN
Alicia Keys
I HOPE YOU DANCE
Lee Ann Womack
I'M STILL HERE
John Rzeznik
IT'S JUST ANOTHER NEW YEAR'S EVE
Barry Manilow
I WAS HERE
Beyonce
KEEP YOUR HEAD UP
Andy Grammer
LATCH
Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
LEFT BEHIND
Duncan Sheik
LIKE A WRECKING BALL
Eric Church
LOVE LIKE THIS
Natasha Bedingfield featuring Sean Kingston
LOVE YOU LIKE A LOVE SONG
Selena Gomez
LOVIN U
Alicia Keys
LOVIN' YOU
Minnie Riperton
MENDED
Matthew West
Motherland
Natalie Merchant
MR. MISTOFFELEES
Andrew Lloyd Webber
NO GREATER LOVE
Steven Curtis Chapman
NO MATTER WHAT
Kerrie Roberts
On Days Like These
Matt Monro
OPUS 17
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
PAPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE
The Temptations
PICTURE
Kid Rock
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME
P!nk
PRISONER IN DISGUISE
Linda Ronstadt
PROMISES IN THE DARK
Pat Benatar
REAL IN RIO
Siedah Garrett
RED RAG TOP
Tim McGraw
RUNAROUND SUE
Dion
SARA SMILE
Hall & Oates
SATURDAY SUN
Vance Joy
SHE NEVER CRIED IN FRONT OF ME
Toby Keith
SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU
The Skyliners
SINKIN' SOON
Norah Jones
SLEEP ON THE FLOOR
The Lumineers
SOUL MEETS BODY
Death Cab For Cutie
SPEECHLESS
Lady Gaga
START A FIRE
John Legend
TAKE IT EASY ON ME
Little River Band
TEARS DRY ON THEIR OWN
Amy Winehouse
The Edge Of Glory
Lady Gaga
THE PROMISE
The Martins
THE WORLD
Brad Paisley
THIS IS HOME
Switchfoot
TRY SLEEPING WITH A BROKEN HEART
Alicia Keys
UNBREAK MY HEART
Toni Braxton
Underneath The Tree
Kelly Clarkson
Page 14 of 44 · 2,110 octave bass songs
Frequently asked questions
- What is octave bass in piano?
- Octave bass is a left-hand technique where you play the same note in two octaves — typically the chord root plus its lower octave. Creates a fuller, more powerful sound than a single bass note.
- Is octave bass hard to play?
- For intermediate players, no — most adult hands span an octave comfortably. Children or smaller hands may need to roll the octave (play the lower note slightly before the upper).
- Which songs use octave bass?
- Rock ballads like Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and many Coldplay songs use octave bass extensively. Browse the list above for ~2,000 examples in our catalog.