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.
LOVE WALKS IN
Van Halen
MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES
Regina Spektor
MRS. ROBINSON
Simon & Garfunkel
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
Rick Astley
ONE LAST SONG
Sam Smith
PARADISE CITY
Guns N' Roses
PEACEFUL EASY FEELING
Eagles
PROBLEM
Ariana Grande Featuring Iggy Azalea
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
B.J. Thomas
RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD
B.J. Thomas
ROMEO'S TUNE
Steve Forbert
Sail Away
Joe Cocker
SHE'S SO GONE
Lemonade Mouth (Movie)
SHINE A LITTLE LOVE
Electric Light Orchestra
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE
Casting Crowns
Starting Here, Starting Now
Barbra Streisand
STARVING
Hailee Steinfeld & Grey Feat. Zedd
STYLE
Taylor Swift
SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE
Muse
TALLADEGA
Eric Church
THE ANSWER
Jeremy Camp
The Flood
Take That
THE GROOVELINE
Heatwave
THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG
Betty Everett
THE STAND
Hillsong United
THE THING ABOUT LOVE
Alicia Keys
THIS WILL BE
Natalie Cole
UNFAILING LOVE
Chris Tomlin
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED
Jimmy Ruffin
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
Led Zeppelin
WILD WEST HERO
Electric Light Orchestra
YOU'RE A GRAND OLD FLAG
George M. Cohan
YOU REIGN
MercyMe
YOUR SONG
Elton John
YOU SEXY THING
Hot Chocolate
A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS
Lady A
All My Fountains
Chris Tomlin
AMARILLO BY MORNING
George Strait
AMOS MOSES
Jerry Reed
ANGELIA
Richard Marx
A THOUSAND YEARS
Christina Perri
AUGUST WINDS
Sting
AWAKE MY SOUL
Mumford & Sons
BEG STEAL OR BORROW
Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs
BELLS OF NEW YORK CITY
Josh Groban
BIG MAN ON MULBERRY STREET
Billy Joel
BREAKFAST IN AMERICA
Supertramp
BREATHING UNDERWATER
Emeli Sandé
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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.