{"id":7235,"date":"2022-03-22T15:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T22:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=7235"},"modified":"2023-01-09T16:00:08","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T00:00:08","slug":"four-walls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/four-walls\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Four Walls&#8221; by Lisa Witt: The Story Behind the Song"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Lisa Witt is known around the world as that upbeat piano teacher on YouTube. But did you know that she\u2019s also an artist who writes original songs? Today, we\u2019re releasing a performance of Lisa&#8217;s original song \u201cFour Walls.\u201d It\u2019s an absolute banger with a sweet story behind it. Here\u2019s a (lightly edited and condensed) interview with Lisa on \u201cFour Walls,\u201d how she composes, and the role of music in her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px;\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Don&#8217;t Miss Lisa&#8217;s D\u00e9but! \ud83e\udd84<\/b><\/h2><\/center><p>Sign up to get the latest updates from Pianote \u2014 including free lessons, tips, articles, interviews, and more \u2014 delivered straight to your inbox every week. Unsubscribe at any time.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">The Lisa Witt &#8220;Four Walls&#8221; Interview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>What&#8217;s the story behind &#8220;Four Walls&#8221;?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once upon a time, my dad went out to buy me a car and came back with a piano instead. This piano became the highlight of the living room. We also had these big view windows, and behind the piano was this chair. When she was alive, my mom would sit in the chair and listen while I sang in the evenings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, my mom never held still for anything else. She was constantly working, cleaning, organizing, doing things\u2026 But she would sit down when I played, and sometimes I wouldn\u2019t even realize she was there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, after she passed, I was sitting at the piano and remembering that moment, that sentiment. I looked out the window and saw her roses. I saw her tree and I was feeling sad. And I looked at the piano and saw little fingernail prints on it, the little marks on the fallboard from hours of practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then I started writing this song, thinking about the contrast between being inside a home where there are memories and being outside these four walls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Four%20Walls\/four%20walls%201.jpg\" alt=\"Woman with short platinum hair and long sleeve black shirt playing piano with mic in dimly lit studio.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Witt is your friendly YouTube piano teacher&#8230;<em>and <\/em>an original artist!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\" style=\"font-size:30px\">\n<p>Once upon a time, my dad went out to buy me a car and came back with a piano instead.<\/p>\n<cite>Lisa Witt<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>What\u2019s your songwriting process like? Do you write the lyrics or the music first?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally, I write words first. Then, I sit down at the piano and find a cool melody. And then, I scroll through my notes and see [what words I wrote before] work with it. And I go from there and just build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually I write the lyrics first. But this one \u2014 and I\u2019m not kidding you \u2014 I sat down and it just\u2026it was one of those rare songs that completely wrote itself!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>So how do you figure out the chord progressions?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a good question! I always challenge myself. If the last song I wrote was in F Major, I\u2019ll try to make my next song in D Major. I typically stick with pop chords.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Four%20Walls\/four%20walls%202.jpg\" alt=\"Woman with short platinum hair and long sleeve black shirt playing piano with mic in front of face; view from in front of piano with no view of hands.\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Laying down &#8220;Four Walls&#8221; in the Pianote studio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Often in pop music, the progression starts on the I chord. So I start with that, but I also think: what can I use instead of the I? Or, where can I go instead of the vi? Is there a different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/diatonic-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">diatonic chord<\/a> I can throw in?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I\u2019ll try to find a really cool sounding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/riffs-and-fills\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">riff<\/a> on the piano. I\u2019ll take that and build chords around it, then add words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\">\ud83c\udfb9\ud83e\udd14 <b><i>Why is Lisa talking about random numbers??<\/i><\/b> Lisa is talking about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/diatonic-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">diatonic chords<\/a>, or all the chords that exist within a scale. The chord built on the first note of the scale is the \u201cone\u201d (or I), the chord built on the fifth note is the V. A common chord progression in many pop songs is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/pop-piano-chord-progressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">I-V-vi-IV<\/a>.<\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>So how do you avoid defaulting to the I chord?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s brutal! Sometimes, for example, I\u2019ll start on the I, then travel up quickly and use it like a passing note to the iii. So, I\u2019ll go C-D-E\u2026and then start my melody there. I try not to start in a \u201clanded space.\u201d Or I\u2019ll go to the relative minor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Four%20Walls\/four%20walls%203.jpg\" alt=\"Woman with short platinum hair and long sleeve black shirt playing piano and singing into mic.\" width=\"402\" height=\"602\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;When she was alive, my mom would sit in the chair and listen while I sang in the evenings.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Another thing I love playing with is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/slash-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slash chords<\/a>. I use them a lot. I love a consistent right hand chord \u2014 an anchor \u2014 and moving the left hand around creates this openness. I also like to space notes apart by ninths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>What is your number one piece of songwriting advice for musicians?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You have to only write for you. You can\u2019t write for anybody else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s so hard because we judge ourselves. If I think about creating a song that people will love, it creates too much pressure and the music never feels good enough. If I write for ME and <em>me alone<\/em>&#8230; that is when the magic happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, songwriting is a therapeutic tool. It\u2019s there to help me process my life, my feelings, and my emotions, and to make sense of the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Authenticity is the most attractive thing, and it\u2019s what draws people in. So, if you can be authentic and not write for somebody or something, that\u2019s when you get the best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>So on that note of authenticity, what are your inspirations? Pop songs are often about love, but everyone writes about love. I know you love horses, so to be authentic, would you write about horses?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I love horses and I would write about the freedom I experience when I\u2019m on one. Then I\u2019d probably take that and disguise it under an idea of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>You have to only write for you. You can\u2019t write for anybody else.<\/p>\n<cite>Lisa Witt<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>At the end of the day, nobody really has to know what you\u2019re talking about or what started it. You take your inspiration and shape it into what it needs to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I would say, for me\u2026my inspiration is pain, honestly. People often ask how I am so positive and optimistic. Well, I still experience incredible amounts of sadness, grief, and pain. I\u2019m just processing them [through music]. That\u2019s where my sadness comes to hang out with me. And I think that it\u2019s important for everyone [to have an outlet for pain].<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Four%20Walls\/four%20walls%204.jpg\" alt=\"Woman with short platinum hair and long sleeve black shirt playing piano and singing dramatically into mic.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> &#8220;I had, say, a really huge fight with someone, and I hate that person, and I want to scream, there\u2019s a song about that.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Do you think there are certain themes that you often return to?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah. There\u2019s always some level of relationship drama happening. So I often return to telling that story. I think that\u2019s pretty normal for all of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFour Walls\u201d is really about grief. Not fitting in is another theme. These are all things I process with a pen and a melody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Yeah, we\u2019re social creatures.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I do find that I tend to gravitate towards inspiration from nature. I recently wrote about the sun \u2014 or, I wrote <em>to <\/em>the sun. That was really cool.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFour Walls\u201d was similar \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of plant life in that song! So, yes, nature is really inspiring for me and there are so many lessons to be learned from watching the outside. So that comes out in songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Four%20Walls\/four%20walls%205.jpg\" alt=\"Woman with short platinum hair playing red portable keyboard in front of stream and forest.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;I tend to gravitate towards inspiration from nature.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>So, what skills would you say piano players need in order to write a song, if any?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Honestly, I think it\u2019s pretty basic. You don\u2019t need to be very good at the piano to write songs on it. Because writing songs is just exploring. I get so excited about what I\u2019ve done with Pianote because all you need to write a song is a scale and the chords that belong to that scale. Thats the focus of a LOT of what we do inside Pianote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\">\ud83c\udfb9\ud83d\udd25 <b><i>Chords: Piano&#8217;s Secret Weapon!<\/i><\/b> If you know chords, you&#8217;ll unlock hundreds of songs, along with the ability to compose. To learn more, check out this lesson: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/beginner-piano-secret\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Piano Player&#8217;s Best Kept Secret<\/a>.<\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Do you have a favorite key?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of my songs are in F Major. Lately, I\u2019ve been playing with F Major, B-flat Major, and D Minor, and I like having those pop chords together.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Well, it\u2019s a good thing your voice falls in F Major and not something like F-sharp Major!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s just what happens! I always tell my students: when you cover a song, to find the original key and then go down or up half a step. Find your sweet spot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For some reason, it\u2019s always the sharp keys that the voice wants to be in\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>So, are there specific tools that you use to write songs? Any specific software?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whiskey is tool number one! Just so I can be vulnerable enough to write something honest \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Otherwise, I use my phone and Voice Memo app. I put my phone on my piano and type out lyrics on my MacBook or notebook. And I\u2019ll often end up with about five voice memos on one song idea.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2022\/Four%20Walls\/four%20walls%206.jpg\" alt=\"Woman with short platinum hair and long red cardigan on chair smiling in portrait studio.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Witt&#8217;s key of choice is usually F Major, but she tries to branch out!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>My next step is, I\u2019ve got an interface that I\u2019m going to purchase; everything else I have at home. [With these tools,] I\u2019ll start recording the piano and vocals. That gives me what I need to get these songs produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>So what\u2019s next for Lisa?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re sure many of you are excited for Lisa\u2019s debut album!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lisa\u2019s next step is to find a producer that deeply understands her \u201cenergy\u201d and \u201cheart.\u201d Songwriting is a process, and Lisa doesn\u2019t approach production with everything planned. She likes to collaborate with co-writers and producers who share a similar vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing Lisa does is build soundscapes and moodboards out of existing favorite tracks. So, if there\u2019s a song on Spotify where she loves a certain five seconds of, she\u2019ll tell her team that she wants something like that in her own song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She will likely do some fundraising and awareness-building to determine a budget before hiring a producer. Let\u2019s all wish Lisa the best of luck on her debut!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\" style=\"font-size:20px;\"><blockquote><p>We all need as many outlets as we possibly can to process life. Because life is hard. And beautiful. And\u2026the piano is such a beautiful way\u2026to start that process. The piano is an instrument that allows you to create melody, and harmony, and rhythm, and bass in one spot. And I think that that\u2019s just really, really inspiring and cool.<\/p><cite>Lisa Witt<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In addition to being a beloved YouTube piano teacher, Lisa Witt is an artist. Here&#8217;s the story behind her original track &#8220;Four Walls.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":7237,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1108],"tags":[1069],"class_list":["post-7235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-musicianship","tag-gsotp"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7235"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13318,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7235\/revisions\/13318"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}