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.
LIVE OUT LOUD
Steven Curtis Chapman
LOVE SONG
Five For Fighting
MAN DOWN
Rihanna
MOBILE
Avril Lavigne
NOTHING
The Script
NOW OR NEVER
Josh Groban
SUMMER LOVE
Justin Timberlake
TEACHME
Musiq Soulchild
THE GREAT ESCAPE
P!nk
THE LAZY SONG
Bruno Mars
TOMORROW
Avril Lavigne
Traffic in the Sky
Jack Johnson
WHEN CAN I SEE YOU AGAIN?
Henry Jackman
ALL ABOUT THAT BASS
Meghan Trainor
AM I WRONG
Nico & Vinz
BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE
Louis Armstrong
BEHIND THESE HAZEL EYES
Kelly Clarkson
Bella Luna
Jason Mraz
BEST PART
H.E.R.
CRASH AND BURN
Thomas Rhett
CRAZY GIRLS
Paramore
DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND
Christina Aguilera
DO I WANNA KNOW?
Arctic Monkeys
EARNED IT
The Weeknd
EASY TONIGHT
Five For Fighting
FABULOUS
High School Musical 2
GET ON THE BOAT
Prince
GIRA CON ME
Josh Groban
Half of My Heart
John Mayer featuring Taylor Swift
HANDS AND FEET
Audio Adrenaline
HEARTLESS
Kanye West
I DON'T WANNA LIVE FOREVER
Zayn and Taylor Swift
IF I EVER LOSE MY FAITH IN YOU
Sting
I STILL BELIEVE
Mariah Carey
I WANT IT ALL
Queen
LADY
The Whispers
LOST IN YOUR EYES
Debbie Gibson
LOVE BITES
Def Leppard
LOVE THEM LIKE JESUS
Casting Crowns
MAKE ME LOSE CONTROL
Eric Carmen
MORE
Madonna
NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO
Sergio Mendes
ON AND ON
Erykah Badu
ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK
Murray Head
PON DE REPLAY
Rihanna
SAY IT LOUD
James Brown
SCREAM
Usher
SEE YOU AGAIN
Wiz Khalifa
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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.