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.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
The Beatles
WORDS
Bee Gees
YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY
Stevie Wonder
YOU AND I
Eddie Rabbitt with Crystal Gayle
All I HaveTo Do Is Dream
Everly Brothers
BAD THINGS
Jace Everett
Better
Mindi Dickstein
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
The Mamas & The Papas
CANNONBALL
Supertramp
CELEBRATE
Three Dog Night
CHARLIE BOY
The Lumineers
DETROIT ROCK CITY
KISS
DON'T CHA
Pussycat Dolls
ENJOY THE SILENCE
Depeche Mode
FAMILY PORTRAIT
P!nk
Fever
Peggy Lee
FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT
Beastie Boys
FIRST DATE
Blink-182
GET UP OFFA THAT THING
James Brown
GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN/ WE THREE KINGS
Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan
HAWAIIAN WAR CHANT
Tommy Dorsey
I'D LOVE YOU TO WANT ME
Lobo
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
The Beatles
Jesus, Only Jesus
Passion
LESSON NUMBER ONE
Alexa Junge
LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
Bob Seger
LONG AS I CAN SEE THE LIGHT
Creedence Clearwater Revival
MAKIN' PLANS
Miranda Lambert
Morning Has Broken
Cat Stevens
OLD TOY TRAINS
Roger Miller
ON BROADWAY
George Benson
PARTY FAVOR
Billie Eilish
RED, RED WINE
Neil Diamond
SAFE AND SOUND
Capital Cities
SHOOT TO THRILL
AC/DC
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
Bob Crewe
SULTANS OF SWING
Dire Straits
SUMMERTIME
Kenny Chesney
SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS
Julie Andrews
TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS
John Denver
TAMMY
Debbie Reynolds
THE HAND THAT HOLDS THE WORLD
Starfield
WALKING IN MY SHOES
Depeche Mode
WHEN THE STARS COME OUT
Chris Stapleton
WHITE BLANK PAGE
Mumford & Sons
YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND
Queen
AFTERNOON DELIGHT
Starland Vocal Band
BACK WHEN
Tim McGraw
Page 37 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.