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.
AMERICAN TUNE
Paul Simon
AT SEVENTEEN
Janis Ian
BABY, IT'S YOU
The Beatles
BADGE
Cream
Begin Again
Colbie Caillat
BEHIND THE CLOUDS
Brad Paisley
BREAK YOUR HEART
Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris
CHEAP SUNGLASSES
ZZ Top
COME TALK TO ME
Peter Gabriel
DEAD WRONG
The Fray
DON'T DO ME LIKE THAT
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
FALLING FOR YA
Grace Phipps
FATHER AND SON
Cat Stevens
FEEL IT STILL
Portugal. The Man
FISHIN' IN THE DARK
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
FORREST GUMP
Frank Ocean
FRIENDS
Elton John
GEORGY GIRL
The Seekers
GIRL, YOU'LL BE A WOMAN SOON
Neil Diamond
God's Great Dance Floor
Chris Tomlin
GOOD TIME
Alan Jackson
HALLELUJAH I LOVE HIM (HER) SO
Ray Charles
HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?
Darryl Worley
HERE WITH ME
Dido
I GOT YOU
James Brown
I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Steven Curtis Chapman
IN DA CLUB
50 Cent
LANTERNS
Birds Of Tokyo
LAST KISS
J. Frank Wilson
LINES ON MY FACE
Peter Frampton
LOVEFOOL
The Cardigans
MAGIC
The Cars
MAGIC
B.o.B. featuring Rivers Cuomo
MY DEAREST DARLING
Etta James
MY LOVE
Paul McCartney & Wings
NEVER ONCE
Matt Redman
NOBODY DOES IT BETTER
Carly Simon
NO ONE ELSE ON EARTH
Wynonna Judd
ONLY IN MY DREAMS
Debbie Gibson
REFUGEE
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
RUNAWAY
Del Shannon
SAD EYES
Robert John
SAVE TONIGHT
Eagle Eye Cherry
SO FAR AWAY
Carole King
STREETS OF BAKERSFIELD
Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens
SUNSHINE SUPERMAN
Donovan
SUPER FREAK
Rick James
SWEET DREAMS
Eurythmics
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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.