"Ticket To Ride"
The bass line primarily emphasizes the root notes, played in a dotted rhythm that creates a syncopated drone effect. This pattern—typically a dotted quarter note followed by an eighth note tied to a half note—sustains the tonic pitch over extended durations, producing a droning foundation that anchors the harmony. Notably, the second note in the measure lands on the “and” of 2, aligning precisely with the kick drum hit at that moment. Around measure 9, the rhythm subtly shifts to a dotted quarter note followed by a quarter note and then a half note, with beat three clearly articulated—this variation continues until the chorus.
This rhythmic interplay closely mirrors the drum pattern, particularly the kick hits that emphasize beat 3, locking bass and drums tightly together to reinforce the groove’s driving pulse.
In the chorus, the bass adopts a more active approach, playing two quarter notes followed by a run of four eighth notes that move from the root to the fifth scale degree, adding melodic movement while maintaining the underlying harmonic structure.