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.
CAREFREE HIGHWAY
Gordon Lightfoot
COME BACK SONG
Darius Rucker
COOL JERK
The Capitols
DEAR PRUDENCE
The Beatles
DE DO DO DO, DE DA DA DA
The Police
DO YOU WANNA TOUCH ME?
Glee Cast
EVIL WAYS
Santana
GO AWAY, LITTLE GIRL
Del Shannon
GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO GROW
Steve Green
HARDER TO BREATHE
Maroon 5
HELLO SEATTLE
Owl City
HERE BY ME
3 Doors Down
JULIA
The Beatles
JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH
Depeche Mode
Keep Breathing
Ingrid Michaelson
LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN
Neil Sedaka
LET'S GET TOGETHER
Jefferson Airplane
LOVERS IN JAPAN
Coldplay
LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER
Captain & Tennille
MAGIC CARPET RIDE
Steppenwolf
MARGARITAVILLE
Jimmy Buffett
MISSING
Everything But The Girl
MY GUY
Mary Wells
NO SWEETER NAME
Kari Jobe
OPEN HANDS
Ingrid Michaelson
OUR COUNTRY
John Mellencamp
PEOPLE ARE CRAZY
Billy Currington
PLEASE LOVE ME FOREVER
Cathy Jean & The Roommates
PRETTY PAPER
Roy Orbison
PURPOSE
Justin Bieber
RISE
Herb Alpert
ROAD TRIPPIN'
Red Hot Chili Peppers
SANTA LOOKED A LOT LIKE DADDY
Buck Owens
SEA OF FACES
Kutless
SHE'S A WOMAN
The Beatles
Something
The Beatles
SONG OF HOPE
Robbie Seay Band
STAND BY ME
John Lennon
Steady My Heart
Kari Jobe
STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT
Linda Ronstadt
TELL IT LIKE IT IS
Aaron Neville
THE CIRCLE GAME
Joni Mitchell
THE PROMISE
Rosemary Clooney
THEY'RE PLAYING MY SONG
Carole Bayer Sager
TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT
Janet Jackson
WALKING ON THE MOON
The Police
WHO'S MAKING LOVE
Johnnie Taylor
YOUNG BLOOD
The Coasters
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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.