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.
PUPPY LOVE
Paul Anka
ROAR
Katy Perry
SHE GOT THE BEST OF ME
Luke Combs
SHIP TO WRECK
Florence And The Machine
SING TOGETHER
Train
Stay With Me
Sam Smith
STRESSED OUT
Twenty One Pilots
STRONGER
Hillsong Worship
THE FAME
Lady Gaga
THE LUCKY ONE
Taylor Swift
THE WIND CRIES MARY
Jamie Cullum
THIS
Darius Rucker
TIMES
Tenth Avenue North
TIMSHEL
Mumford & Sons
TRAGEDY
Bee Gees
UNCONDITIONALLY
Katy Perry
VILLAGE GHETTO
Stevie Wonder
VIVA LA VIDA
Coldplay
WALK AWAY
The James Gang
WANNABE
Spice Girls
WAS THAT YOU?
Audra McDonald
WAY DOWN WE GO
Kaleo
YOU ARE THE BEST THING
Ray LaMontagne
YOU LEARN
Alanis Morissette
YOURS
Russell Dickerson
A CHANGE WOULD DO YOU GOOD
Sheryl Crow
A LITTLE BLUER THAN THAT
Alan Jackson
ALONE
Heart
ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE
Phil Collins
BALL AND CHAIN
Janis Joplin
BEEP BEEP
The Playmates
BE STILL
The Fray
BEST OF MY LOVE
Eagles
BLUE HAWAII
Billy Vaughn
CALIFORNICATION
Red Hot Chili Peppers
CHEVY VAN
Sammy Johns
CORAZON ESPINADO
Santana
COULD YOU BE LOVED
Bob Marley
DESIRE
U2
Dream
Priscilla Ahn
ELECTRIC SLIDE
Neville Livingston
ENDLESSLY
Brook Benton
EVERY STORM
Gary Allan
EYE OF THE STORM
Ryan Stevenson feat. GabeReal
GEORGIA
Vance Joy
GOOD GIRLS GO BAD
Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester
GORGEOUS
Taylor Swift
HAPPY DAYS
Pratt & McClain
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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.