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.
LUCKY
Britney Spears
MERCY CAME RUNNING
Phillips, Craig & Dean
MERMAID
Train
MUCH OF YOU
Steven Curtis Chapman
NEITHER ONE OF US
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Not That Different
Collin Raye
NO WAY TO STOP IT
Carrie Underwood
NOW BEHOLD THE LAMB
Kirk Franklin
ON A BUS TO ST. CLOUD
Gretchen Peters
Reach
S Club 7
REAL GONE
Sheryl Crow
Right in Front of Your Eyes
Matthew Sklar
RUNAWAY
The Traveling Wilburys
SECRET SMILE
Semisonic
SHOOT THE MOON
Norah Jones
SIGN O' THE TIMES
Prince
SIXTY MINUTE MAN
The Dominoes
SONG TO THE KING
Natalie Grant
Southbound Train
Julie Gold
SO YESTERDAY
Hilary Duff
STRAIGHT UP
Paula Abdul
SWEETEST THING
U2
TELEPHONE
Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce
THE GHETTO
Donny Hathaway
THE GRAND ILLUSION
Styx
THE IMPOSSIBLE
Joe Nichols
THOSE SWEET WORDS
Norah Jones
TOUCH THE SKY
Hillsong United
TRAIN IN VAIN
The Clash
TWO GHOSTS
Harry Styles
Where Are You Going
Dave Matthews Band
WHY DON'T YOU KISS HER?
Jesse McCartney
WINNER AT A LOSING GAME
Rascal Flatts
You & Me
Dave Matthews Band
BARBIES
P!nk
BEAUTIFUL LORD
Leeland
BIG HOUSE
Audio Adrenaline
BLACK HOLE SUN
Soundgarden
CLOSING TIME
Semisonic
CLOUD NUMBER NINE
Bryan Adams
COULD WE START AGAIN PLEASE?
Andrew Lloyd Webber
DON'T LET GO (LOVE)
En Vogue
DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?
Band Aid
DO YOU REMEMBER
Jay Sean
EH, EH
Lady Gaga
EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL
Coldplay
GOD OF CALVARY
Chris Tomlin
Grey Street
Dave Matthews Band
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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.