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.
REBEL YELL
Billy Idol
ROBOT BOY
Linkin Park
SAVIOR'S SHADOW
Blake Shelton
SAY SOMETHING
A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera
SAY YOU LOVE ME
Fleetwood Mac
SLEEPING SATELLITE
Tasmin Archer
STEAL AWAY
Robert Dupuis
The Eye Of The Tiger
Survivor
THE GREAT PRETENDER
The Platters
The Heart of Life
John Mayer
The Music That Makes Me Dance
Barbra Streisand
TOBACCO ROAD
The Nashville Teens
TREASURE OF JESUS
Steven Curtis Chapman
UNTIL THE NIGHT
Billy Joel
VENUS
Frankie Avalon
WHAT I AM
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER
Queen
WOMAN IN LOVE
Barbra Streisand
YOU ALONE CAN RESCUE
Matt Redman
YOU'LL ACCOMP'NY ME
Bob Seger
YOU MAKE LOVIN' FUN
Fleetwood Mac
YOU SPIN ME ROUND
Dead Or Alive
'39
Queen
ANGELA
The Lumineers
ANTICIPATION
Carly Simon
BAGGAGE CLAIM
Miranda Lambert
BELIEVE
Elton John
BETTER DIG TWO
The Band Perry
BLAME IT ON YOUR HEART
Patty Loveless
CANDY
Iggy Pop
CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU
The Police
Carolina In My Mind
James Taylor
CHRISTMASTIME
Michael W. Smith
CLUMSY
Fergie
COME THOU FOUNT, COME THOU KING
Gateway Worship
CROSSROADS
Tracy Chapman
DREAMS
Fleetwood Mac
EASTER SONG
Keith Green
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME
Tegan and Sara
FOX ON THE RUN
Steve Priest
GIRLS ON FILM
Duran Duran
GOIN' OUT OF MY HEAD
Little Anthony & The Imperials
HERO
Enrique Iglesias
HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE
Willie Nelson
HEY BULLDOG
The Beatles
HOLD ME JESUS
Rich Mullins
Hopelessly Devoted To You
Olivia Newton-John
HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU
Olivia Newton-John
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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.