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.
LONDON CALLING
The Clash
LOVE ME DO
The Beatles
PEOPLE NEED THE LORD
Steve Green
RETURN TO ME
Dean Martin
RIPPLE
Grateful Dead
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Brenda Lee
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY
Joe Walsh
SINCERELY
McGuire Sisters
SIXTEEN CANDLES
The Crests
SPINNING WHEEL
Blood, Sweat & Tears
SYRUP & HONEY
Duffy
THE MAKER MAKES
Rufus Wainwright
THE ONE THING
INXS
TIME FLIES
Michael Feinstein
WHAT'S HE DOING IN MY WORLD
Eddy Arnold
WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL!
Johnny Mathis
A COUPLE OF SWELLS
Irving Berlin
Angie
The Rolling Stones
A TASTE OF HONEY
The Beatles
BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE
Talking Heads
CALENDAR GIRL
Neil Sedaka
COME TOGETHER
The Beatles
CREEQUE ALLEY
The Mamas & The Papas
CRYSTALS
Of Monsters And Men
EAGLE'S WINGS
The Katinas
EBB TIDE
The Righteous Brothers
GARDEN PARTY
Ricky Nelson
GIRL CRUSH
Little Big Town
GROW OLD WITH ME
Mary Chapin Carpenter
HANDLE WITH CARE
The Traveling Wilburys
HONEY
Bobby Goldsboro
HOW 'YA GONNA KEEP 'EM DOWN ON THE FARM?
Nora Bayes
I FEEL LOVE
Donna Summer
IF I WERE A CARPENTER
Bobby Darin
IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR
Frank Sinatra
LA GRANGE
ZZ Top
LAMB OF GOD
Twila Paris
LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME
ABBA
LONG LONG TIME
Linda Ronstadt
MAD WORLD
Gary Jules
MARGARITAVILLE
Jimmy Buffett
PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE
The Rascals
SAD BEAUTIFUL TRAGIC
Taylor Swift
SEPARATE WAYS
Elvis Presley
SILENT NIGHT
Casting Crowns
SWEET JANE
The Velvet Underground
WASTED ON THE WAY
Crosby, Stills & Nash
WELCOME TO NEW YORK
Taylor Swift
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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.