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.
SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
Nirvana
STAYIN' ALIVE
Bee Gees
STAY THE NIGHT
Zedd
SWEET ANNIE
Zac Brown Band
THE CRYING GAME
Geoff Stephens
THIS IS NOT GOODBYE
Melissa Etheridge
TREAT YOU BETTER
Shawn Mendes
TRUCKIN'
Grateful Dead
UMBRELLA
Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
UPTIGHT
Stevie Wonder
WANT TO
Sugarland
WHAT THIS WORLD NEEDS
Casting Crowns
WHAT YOU NEED
INXS
Who Will You Run To
Heart
YOU ARE
Lionel Richie
YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING
Leo Sayer
YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL
Lana Del Rey
Your Song
Ellie Goulding
YOU SHOULD BE HERE
Cole Swindell
YOU'VE GOT TIME
Regina Spektor
A BETTER PLACE
Glen Campbell
Adore You
Miley Cyrus
AGAIN AND AGAIN
Jewel
A Whiter Shade of Pale
Sarah Brightman
BABY, COME TO ME
Patti Austin
BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP
The Temptations
BIG SPENDER
Cy Coleman
BLAME IT ON THE GIRLS
Mika
Breathe
Anna Nalick
CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE
Jimmy Buffett
CHRISTMAS PIPES
Celtic Woman
CRAZY TRAIN
Ozzy Osbourne
CRY BABY
Janis Joplin
CYCLES
Frank Sinatra
DANCE IN THE DARK
Lady Gaga
DIAMOND GIRL
Seals & Crofts
DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND
Marilyn Monroe
DIRE WOLF
Grateful Dead
DON'T LET IT BRING YOU DOWN
Neil Young
DREAMLOVER
Mariah Carey
EIGHTEEN WHEELS AND A DOZEN ROSES
Kathy Mattea
EMPIRE STATE OF MIND (PART II)
Alicia Keys
GET A JOB
The Silhouettes
Ghost
Ingrid Michaelson
GOOD LOVIN'
The Young Rascals
HEALING RAIN
Michael W. Smith
HIGH HOPES
Frank Sinatra
I DON'T WANT THIS NIGHT TO END
Luke Bryan
Page 25 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.