Super Simple Piano
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Polka oom-pah

One bass note and three quick chords: a bouncy polka. One of the stride and oom-pah patterns.

Chords: C, G, Am, F
Practice in C

How to play it

  1. Find the notes

    Put your left hand over a C chord. You need C (little finger, 5), E (middle finger, 3) and G (thumb, 1).

  2. Count and play

    Count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &" (say "and" for &). Play C on 1, then E and G together on 1&, 2 and 2&, then C on 3, then E and G together on 3&, 4 and 4&.

  3. Move it with the chords

    When the chord changes to G, the same rhythm moves to the notes of G: G, B and D. Play it slowly over the chord loop above, at 60% speed first, then faster.

Songs that use it

Questions

What is Polka oom-pah on piano?

One bass note and three quick chords: a bouncy polka. A bass note, then a chord. It is stride when the leap spans an octave or more. Musicians call it bass + chords (2/4).

Is Polka oom-pah hard to play?

It is an intermediate pattern. Learn it with your left hand alone at 60% speed first, then play it over a chord loop.

Which songs use Polka oom-pah?

Fiesta by Jane Trotter uses Polka oom-pah. The songs on this page all use it in the left hand, the most played first.