Batten’s signature guitar style is built around two key components: technical mastery and a pioneering embrace of guitar technology. Her most iconic contribution to guitar technique is her perfection and advanced use of two-handed tapping. This technique, which she formalized in her book Two Hand Rock, allows her to use all four fingers of her picking hand directly on the fretboard alongside her fretting hand, effectively transforming the guitar into a polyphonic instrument capable of playing complex, multi-layered lines that resemble a keyboard. This innovation allowed her to tackle pieces previously deemed impossible on a standard guitar, such as her lightning-fast renditions of classical works like “Flight of the Bumblebee” and intricate jazz compositions like John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.”
Beyond pure technique, Batten is known for her futuristic approach to sound. She utilizes MIDI controllers and a wide array of effects to manipulate her tone, giving her a versatile, often experimental sound. Her playing is not just fast; it is harmonically sophisticated, incorporating complex intervallic licks and dynamic use of the whammy bar to create vocal-like and textural effects, aligning her sensibility closely with her collaborator, Jeff Beck.
🎶 Three Tracks to Unlock Batten’s Fretboard Wizardry
To understand the scope of Jennifer Batten’s contribution, three tracks stand out for their technical demands and iconic status:
1. “Flight of the Bumblebee” (Technical Tapping Masterclass)
This instrumental is arguably Batten’s most famous technical showcase. To play this, the guitarist must execute Rimsky-Korsakov’s dizzying melody almost entirely through her advanced two-handed tapping system. The challenge is translating a piece of classical sheet music, originally written for an orchestral instrument, into a fluid, blistering guitar piece. The exercise is a rigorous test of speed, endurance, and precise synchronization between both hands, all executed on the fretboard.
2. “Dirty Diana” (Live with Michael Jackson) (Iconic Rock Solo)
While often performing solos originally written by others, Batten’s live execution of tracks like “Dirty Diana” and “Beat It” on Michael Jackson’s world tours defined her as a legitimate arena-rock shredder. These performances showcase her ability to deliver fiery, aggressive, and highly emotive solos that cut through a stadium mix. Her rendition of the “Dirty Diana” solo is a study in hard rock phrasing, combining rapid-fire runs with a dark, edgy tone that perfectly complements the song’s energy.
3. “What Mama Said” (with Jeff Beck) (Fusion and Effects)
Appearing on Jeff Beck’s Who Else! album, this track demonstrates Batten’s seamless integration into the world of instrumental fusion. Her guitar lines blend complex, sometimes futuristic sounds with Beck’s signature style. The technique here is less about sustained speed and more about creative texture and unique phrasing, showcasing her mastery of effects, dive-bombs, and whammy techniques to achieve a highly expressive, non-traditional “guitar voice.”
Wrap Up
Jennifer Batten’s career, spanning decades as a soloist, session player, and collaborator, is a powerful statement on instrumental prowess and musical vision. She didn’t just play the guitar; she reimagined its potential, especially through the widespread adoption and advancement of two-handed tapping. Her work with global icons and her influential solo material confirms her status as a trailblazing virtuoso. Studying Batten’s guitar playing is a lesson in pushing technical limits while constantly searching for new sounds and expressions on the instrument.
Cover Photo Credit “Jennifer Batten” by RUMENTA_sdn is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
