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.
HURT
Nine Inch Nails
I KISSED YOU
Everly Brothers
I KNOW YOU RIDER
Grateful Dead
IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE
Elvis Presley
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
Perry Como
IT'S MY PARTY
Lesley Gore
JAMAICA FAREWELL
Samuel E. Wright
MASSACHUSETTS
Bee Gees
MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS
The Grass Roots
MR. TAMBOURINE MAN
Bob Dylan
NA NA HEY HEY KISS HIM GOODBYE
Steam
NO MORE
Elvis Presley
OH! CAROL
Neil Sedaka
PLEASE BE WITH ME
Eric Clapton
Right Back Where We Started From
Maxine Nightingale
THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE VALLEY FOR ME
Elvis Presley
THE WORD
The Beatles
TIN MAN
America
TUFF ENUFF
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE
Jim Hill
WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO
The Supremes
WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
ABA DABA HONEYMOON
Arthur Fields
CORRINE CORRINA
Eric Clapton
DON'T FEAR THE REAPER
Blue Oyster Cult
FEELIN' ALRIGHT
Joe Cocker
FLIP, FLOP AND FLY
Big Joe Turner
IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
Wilson Pickett
IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU
Frank Sinatra
LAST NIGHT
The Traveling Wilburys
MARY IN THE MORNING
Al Martino
MOON RIVER
Audrey Hepburn
NO REPLY
The Beatles
START ME UP
The Rolling Stones
SUMMERTIME BLUES
Eddie Cochran
SWEET EMOTION
Aerosmith
TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
THE NIGHT BEFORE
The Beatles
THERE GOES MY BABY
The Drifters
THERE'S A GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW
They Might Be Giants
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
Woody Guthrie
TIE ME KANGAROO DOWN SPORT
Rolf Harris
TO SIR, WITH LOVE
Lulu
TRAINS AND BOATS AND PLANES
Dionne Warwick
You've Really Got a Hold on Me
She & Him
BLUE CHRISTMAS
Elvis Presley
Can't Let Go
Lucinda Williams
DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING
Gerry & The Pacemakers
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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.