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.
MY BABY YOU
Marc Anthony
NEW LIGHT
John Mayer
NEXT TO ME
Imagine Dragons
NOBODY BUT ME
Michael Buble
NOT GON' CRY
Mary J. Blige
OLD LOVE
Eric Clapton
OVER YOU
Miranda Lambert
PLAY SOMETHING COUNTRY
Brooks & Dunn
PONTOON
Little Big Town
RADAR LOVE
Golden Earring
RISE ABOVE 2
Bono & The Edge
ROCKET MAN
Elton John
ROSIE'S LULLABY
Norah Jones
SCREAM
High School Musical 3 Cast
SHOW ME YOUR WAYS
Hillsong
SO EMOTIONAL
Whitney Houston
SONG FOR ANOTHER TIME
Old Dominion
SPANISH FLEA
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
STAND TALL
Dirty Heads
TAKE A BOW
Rihanna
TALK OF THE TOWN
The Pretenders
THE BEAUTIFUL ONES
Prince
THE CHAMPION
Carrie Underwood
THE SONG REMEMBERS WHEN
Trisha Yearwood
TONIGHT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU
Jason Aldean
UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD HEARS
Casting Crowns
UPSIDE DOWN
Diana Ross
Waiting on the World to Change
John Mayer
WALK A LITTLE STRAIGHTER
Billy Currington
WHO CAN IT BE NOW?
Men At Work
WISH YOU WERE GAY
Billie Eilish
YOU ARE EVERYTHING
Michael McDonald
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Michael Jackson
YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT
Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta
YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE
Loggins And Messina
Angel
Jack Johnson
ANYMORE
Travis Tritt
BARTENDER
Lady A
BETTER THAN REVENGE
Taylor Swift
Better Together
Jack Johnson
BROKEN WINGS
Mr. Mister
CARRIE-ANNE
The Hollies
CHEGA DE SAUDADE
Vinicius de Moraes
CLUB AT THE END OF THE STREET
Elton John
DON'T LOSE MY NUMBER
Phil Collins
DOUBLY GOOD TO YOU
Amy Grant
EVERYTHING GLORIOUS
David Crowder Band
FIRST
Lauren Daigle
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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.