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.
STEALING CINDERELLA
Chuck Wicks
SURE LOOKS GOOD TO ME
Alicia Keys
TAPESTRY
Carole King
The Most Amazing Thing
Mindi Dickstein
THE OLD GUMBIE CAT
Andrew Lloyd Webber
THE PRAYER OF JABEZ
Brian White
THE RAINBOW CONNECTION
Kermit The Frog
THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS
Michael McDonald
THE WAY
Fastball
THIS IS IT
Kenny Loggins
Time To Say Goodbye
Andrea Bocelli
TO WHERE YOU ARE
Josh Groban
TUESDAY HEARTBREAK
Michael McDonald
WAIT FOR ME
Rebecca St. James
WALK AWAY
Kelly Clarkson
WASTE IT ON ME
Steve Aoki
WHEN I'M WITH YOU
Sheriff
Your Body Is a Wonderland
John Mayer
A DAY IN THE LIFE
The Beatles
AGAIN
Janet Jackson
AGAINST ALL ODDS
Phil Collins
ALL I ASK
Adele
AVE MARY A
P!nk
BAD REPUTATION
Shawn Mendes
BARRACUDA
Heart
BENT
Matchbox Twenty
BEST LAID PLANS
James Blunt
BORN THIS WAY
Lady Gaga
BY THE BOAB TREE
Ophelia Of The Spirits
CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA
Oasis
DEAR MR. MAN
Prince
DIE YOUNG
Ke$ha
DRINKIN' PROBLEM
Midland
EASY MONEY
Billy Joel
ESCAPE
Enrique Iglesias
Everybody
Ingrid Michaelson
EVERYDAY AMERICA
Sugarland
FIRST LOVE
Kirk Franklin
FOOLISH
Ashanti
GIVE A LITTLE MORE
Maroon 5
HO HEY
The Lumineers
I GOT A WOMAN
Ray Charles
I'M ABOUT TO COME ALIVE
Train
IN TOO DEEP
Genesis
IT'S YOUR THING
The Isley Brothers
I WILL SING
Donnie McClurkin
I WILL SURVIVE
Enrique Iglesias
JAILHOUSE ROCK
Elvis Presley
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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.