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.
ALONG COMES MARY
The Association
A SIGN OF THE TIMES
Petula Clark
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE
Procol Harum
BACK IN THE U.S.S.R.
The Beatles
BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME
Ray Price
BLACKBIRD
Glee Cast
BRAND NEW KEY
Melanie
BROKEN
Norah Jones
CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD
Kylie Minogue
CAT'S IN THE CRADLE
Harry Chapin
CHEER DOWN
George Harrison
CRUEL TO BE KIND
Nick Lowe
Darling I Do
Landon Pigg & Lucy Schwartz
DOUBLE VISION
Foreigner
DRIFTING
Sarah McLachlan
EVERYTHING
Lauren Daigle
FIRST OF MAY
Bee Gees
FOXEY LADY
Jimi Hendrix
GET DOWN
Gilbert O'Sullivan
GIVE IT AWAY
George Strait
HELLO, IT'S ME
Todd Rundgren
HOME
Dierks Bentley
I'M A MAN
Muddy Waters
IT'S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP
AC/DC
IT'S GOOD TO BE KING
Tom Petty
KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU
ABBA
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
Shirley & Lee
LIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE IT
Hannah Montana
Make You Feel My Love
Bob Dylan
MAMMAS DON'T LET YOUR BABIES GROW UP TO BE COWBOYS
Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
MOONAGE DAYDREAM
David Bowie
MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COWBOYS
Willie Nelson
NARROW DAYLIGHT
Diana Krall
ONCE I LOVED
Antonio Carlos Jobim
ONLY YOU CAN LOVE ME THIS WAY
Keith Urban
OPERATOR
Jim Croce
PARALLEL UNIVERSE
Red Hot Chili Peppers
SAY GOODBYE TO HOLLYWOOD
Billy Joel
SEALED WITH A KISS
Brian Hyland
SOUTHERN CROSS
Crosby, Stills & Nash
STAY STAY STAY
Taylor Swift
SWING DOWN, SWEET CHARIOT
Elvis Presley
TAKE ME AWAY
Avril Lavigne
The Maker
Dave Matthews Band
THE OTHER SIDE OF ME
Michael W. Smith
THERE'S A KIND OF HUSH
Herman's Hermits
TURN! TURN! TURN!
The Byrds
USE SOMEBODY
Kings Of Leon
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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.