Piano Songs with Oom-pah Bass Pattern
1,981 songs — Oom-pah — the left hand alternates between a low bass note (oom) and a higher chord (pah) — is the classic accompaniment of ragtime, polka, marches, and stride piano. Instantly recognizable, fun to play.
How oom-pah bass works
Oom-pah pattern: LH alternates between a single low note on beats 1 & 3 (the "oom"), and a chord on beats 2 & 4 (the "pah"). Creates a rhythmic, bouncy feel typical of march and ragtime music.
ATLAS
Coldplay
BABY COME BACK
Player
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE
Andrea Bocelli
BELIEVE
Justin Bieber
BORN AGAIN
Third Day featuring Lacey Mosley
BREAK ON ME.
Keith Urban
BURNIN' UP
Jonas Brothers
DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE
Barbra Streisand
ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK
Sting
EVERYWHERE
Michelle Branch
GIRLFRIEND
Avril Lavigne
GUILTY
Bee Gees
HAPPILY
One Direction
HAPPY NOW
Zedd & Elley Duhé
HAUNTED
Taylor Swift
HAVANA
Camila Cabello
HEAVEN HELP ME
Dean Pitchford
Here Alone
Mindi Dickstein
Hold Back The River
James Bay
HOUSE PARTY
Sam Hunt
HOW LONG
Eagles
I DON'T WANT TO BE
Gavin DeGraw
IN THE NAME OF THE LORD
Sandi Patty
Jar of Hearts
Christina Perri
JEREMY
Pearl Jam
JESUS WILL STILL BE THERE
Point Of Grace
KEEPING THE FAITH
Billy Joel
LEAVE YOUR LOVER
Sam Smith
LET HIM FLY
Jessica Simpson
LET IT GO
Pentatonix
Magic
Colbie Caillat
MARY, DON'T YOU WEEP
Aaron Neville
ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOLYARD
Paul Simon
NELLA FANTASIA
Il Divo
PARALLEL LINE
Keith Urban
PIECE OF MY HEART
Janis Joplin
PROMISES
Calvin Harris
REAL FRIENDS
Camila Cabello
RESPECT YOURSELF
The Staple Singers
SHAKE IT OFF
Mariah Carey
SOMETHING THAT WE DO
Clint Black
SPEAK NOW
Taylor Swift
STRONG
Sonna
THAT GIRL
Stevie Wonder
THAT'S THE WAY
KC & The Sunshine Band
THIS IS ME
Demi Lovato
UNDER THE BOARDWALK
The Drifters
Walking On Sunshine
Katrina & The Waves
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Frequently asked questions
- What is oom-pah bass on piano?
- Oom-pah is a two-beat left-hand pattern: a low bass note on the strong beat, then a chord on the weak beat. Sounds like "oom-pah, oom-pah" — hence the name. Most associated with polka, ragtime, and traditional pieces.
- Is oom-pah hard to learn?
- It's one of the simpler bass patterns — once you can hit the bass note then the chord cleanly, it's mostly about steady rhythm. Great practice for hand independence.
- What genres use oom-pah bass?
- Polka, ragtime, classical waltzes (in 3/4 oom-pah-pah), marches, and many children's songs. Browse the list for examples across genres.