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.
WE ARE NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER
Taylor Swift
WHEN I SEE U
Fantasia
2000 DECEMBERS AGO
Joy Williams
AIN'T NOBODY HOME
B.B. King
ALCOHOL
Brad Paisley
ALL THAT YOU HAVE IS YOUR SOUL
Tracy Chapman
AMERICAN WOMAN
The Guess Who
BABY, I LOVE YOU
Aretha Franklin
BAD INFLUENCE
P!nk
BALL OF CONFUSION
The Temptations
BECAUSE OF YOU
Ne-Yo
BETH/REST
Bon Iver
CHICAGO
Crosby, Stills & Nash
City Love
John Mayer
COME ON IN MY KITCHEN
Robert Johnson
COME OVER
Kenny Chesney
COMING IN AND OUT OF YOUR LIFE
Barbra Streisand
DIXIE CHICKEN
Little Feat
Dreaming with a Broken Heart
John Mayer
EVERYDAY
Lincoln Brewster
FORGET YOU
Cee Lo Green
FREEWAY OF LOVE
Narada Michael Walden
HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN
Barbra Streisand
HERE I GO AGAIN
Whitesnake
I'M NOT DEAD
P!nk
I'M SO SORRY
Imagine Dragons
IN HER EYES
Josh Groban
IN ME
Casting Crowns
IN THE HANDS OF THE POTTER
Casting Crowns
IRRESISTIBLE
Fall Out Boy
LIKE OTHER GIRLS
Atomic Kitten
LISTEN TO YOUR HEART
Roxette
LONELY NO MORE
Rob Thomas
LOVEBUG
Jonas Brothers
Lovely Day
Bill Withers
MAKE BELIEVE IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME
Carpenters
MIDNIGHT BLUE
Lou Gramm
NO ORDINARY LOVE
Sade
O Holy Night
Yolanda Adams
ON FIRE
Switchfoot
PAINTER SONG
Norah Jones
PER AMORE
Andrea Bocelli
PIECES
Bethel Music
PRISONER OF LOVE
James Brown
RIGHT AS RAIN
Adele
SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE
Kenny Chesney feat. Pink
SHOUT
The Isley Brothers
STAY WITH YOU
John Legend
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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.