Andrew Watt on the most important skill for studio guitarists: “It’s not about ‘your thing.’ In the studio, it’s about what’s right for the song”
At just 34, Andrew Watt has built one of the most enviable resumes in modern music. As a two-time Grammy-winning producer, he’s worked with everyone from Lady Gaga and Post Malone to rock legends like Pearl Jam and Ozzy Osbourne – often playing guitar on the very albums he’s producing.
In a recent conversation with Guitar World, Watt pulls back the curtain on his approach to studio sessions and highlights what he believes to be an essential skill for any guitarist behind the glass: knowing how to serve the song.
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“It’s not about ‘your thing.’ In the studio, it’s about what’s right for the song,” Watt explains. “There are so many musicians that you hear or see live that you could be blown away by, but once they get into the studio, they can’t come up with parts that will last forever.”
“That’s what being in the studio is about. It’s about a great part, something that makes a kid want to go and play guitar, or something that’s just accentuating rhythmic accents or providing a good accompaniment to what’s being sung.”
No matter who he’s in the room with, Watt says everything starts with one essential question: “What’s the part?”
“That’s what leads everything – providing a groove for the song or a good chord base for the song to do its thing, and for the message of what’s being sung to hit someone in the heart,” he says. “I’m parts-focused, and I would say that is the most important thing when being in the studio.”
“It’s not just about the jam,” he continues. “Even the Grateful Dead had parts, you know what I mean? It’s about finding the part.”
Watt also cites British rock legend Johnny Marr as the guitarist who best embodies that philosophy.
“That guy’s parts on every single song he’s on, no matter what the artist is,” says Watt. “Whenever he plays, he has his tone and sound, but he’s just sculpting these perfect parts, weaving in and out of the song, even if the song is written to what he’s playing.”
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