image

Rock The Water on Spotify

 
April 24, 2016

I had a dream about music revenue

Maybe I had the dream because I am currently selling gear to save up for a specific travel guitar, so I can write more tunes on the road! After all, If my music business was profitable…. which it’s NOT yet, then it wouldn’t be an issue right!

OK, so I’m sure I’m not much different than many other PT musicians out there, in that streaming revenue from my songs barely covers the cost of hosting a website, let alone buying new gear, repairs, video, etc. Ya, I have a full time job, but dang this music thing is an expensive sideline gig, that keeps so many of us in the RED!

How do I make it profitable?

So, I had a dream last night that I delved into the world of video review of gear. I awoke thinking could I help other people decide what gear to buy, and augment my musical revenue through affiliate commissions if people buy the gear I review.

Then I thought… what else is out there for PT musicians to augment their artist cash flow beyond streaming revenue…

What about merchandise? What about referrals to apps? What about online radio? Song reviews? Industry seminars?  What about online teaching? What else is out there???? Licensing instrumentals?

Time to find OUT!

My mind is spinning! Not sure where I go with this…. If you are a fellow musician would love to hear what you are doing to produce multiple streams of income from your music.

Posted by in Indie, Misc, Primary, Song Writing and tagged as , , , , , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

February 20, 2016

The Game of Love-Keys To The Junos 2016

Happy Weekend To ALL!!!!!!!

Yamaha is having a songwriting contest to win tickets to the Junos 2016, access to the Juno Songwriting Circle, and some other wicked musical prize packages (for the top 3). Having said that, there is nothing I’m asking of anyone. No clicking. No voting. Just have a listen and comment or share if you choose. Yamaha Canada Music has judges who are going to be picking their top 3.
Either way, I have already WON!!! I have been working on this song for almost 20 years, and this contest gave me the inspiration to finish it! To me …that’s a prize all unto itself!!!

Posted by in Contest, Song Writing, Video and tagged as , , , , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

January 2, 2016

Happy New Year of Songs, Dreams & Dr Pepper

Happy New Year to all you crazy people still chasing your dreams, making a difference, and or living life to the fullest. I’m not going to get into a big review of 2015, as new beginnings tend to make us spend too much time looking in the rearview mirror.Having said that, this is my artistic outlet. As a songwriter, there are songs I have been working on for 16+ years. The past is where we came from, the past has brought us to today, and although it doesn’t define us… we can use ‘snippets of our experiences’ to complete the puzzle pieces of our present and future songs, relationships, and dream chasing! As long as we (you & I) don’t use the past as a crutch or excuse… sky is the freaking limit!!!!

So today, I leave you with an uncompleted song that I have been working on for 16+ years called Dr. Pepper. I thinking it’s a fitting reminder that our lives are a journey, not a destination. I started writing this song in a hospital room while waiting for my daughters heart surgery (FYI 100% successful). My wife crying while drinking Dr. Pepper, someone accidentaly stepping on a Ladybug, & a tea kettle crashing to the floor, are lyrics that lack context unless you were a fly on the wall.

May 2016 be a Year of New Songs for you & yours!

Cheers,

Lee

Posted by in Song Writing and tagged as , , , , , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

August 6, 2015

Wish Upon A Shooting Star

Here is an acoustic original, called Wish Upon a Shooting Star, I have been dabbling with for some time. Started writing this one a few years back, and is based upon the cliche of the wishing we all do; wishing wells, shooting stars, coin ponds, etc. I have the Lyrics posted below the video 🙂 Hope you enjoy!

Wish Upon a Shooting Star Lyrics

Wished upon a shooting star. Hope to make my life better.

Realized it was a plane. 747 feel so lame.

Threw a coin in that pond, bounced right back like a billabong.

Cross my fingers, hope to die, poke a needle in my eye.

Dreams do come true. Just not for me & you.

Dreams do come true. Just not for me, not for me and you.

Threw a dollar in that wishing well, prayed to God there is no hell.

God damn, now I’m broke, little birdie whispered I’m the joke.

Held my breath & wished again for little birdie to be my friend.

Forgot to breathe, and I passed out, right down that wishing well.

Dreams do come true. Just not for me & you.

Dreams do come true. Just not for me, not for me and you.

Dreams do come true. Just not for me & you.

Dreams do come true. Just not for me, not for me and you.

Posted by in Lyrics, Song Writing and tagged as , , , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

October 14, 2012

Download Rock The Water FREE

Download Any of My Songs off my debut album FREE on Soundcloud

I released ‘Rock The Water’ because I love making music. I happily slaved away in the studio to bring my passion to the world,  for you to listen to my tunes and hopefully connect with one or two songs,  and I don’t want to give up the chance you might listen to a song a second time just because you don’t use iTunes 🙂 Having said that, “If you feel compelled to buy a song or two, or the whole album on iTunes, Rhapsody, etc.  please DO! Every dollar encourages me to start my 2nd ALBUM”

The image below shows how you can download each song… ( Either click on the image below to take you to SoundCloud or use the link below)

Download for free here: http://soundcloud.com/leeraito/sets/raito-discography

THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO MY MUSIC!

Cheers,

Lee

download rock the water free

 

Posted by in CD Release, Rock The Water and tagged as , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

October 5, 2012

Rock The Water CD Released on Alexander Keiths Birthday

Well, today is the day folks! It’s OFFICIAL.  Rock The Water is now available worldwide (digital only for now)! Physical CD’s will be ready soon.

Thought it would be fun, as the last song on the Album is called Alexander Keith, to release it on his Birthday for all those folks I love on the East Coast. Happy Birthday Alexander Keith!!!

I’ll do a lengthier post soon with people to thank, studio stories, etc, but just wanted to break the news.

You can stream it FREE here: https://raito.ca/songs/
Here is the iTunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/rock-the-water/id567759212

Rock The Water and have a great long weekend coming up!!!

Posted by in Alexander Keith, CD Release, Press, Rock The Water and tagged as , , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

September 23, 2012

Leaked Song-To The Moon And Back

To celebrate the birth of my niece today and picking up my MASTER COPY of Rock The Water, I have decided to leak  the first song on the album called To The Moon & Back.  A song about what you put into love…. just seems ever so  right for the occasion!

I hope you enjoy the 70’s organ vibe in the bridge, the lyrics penned with my heart and the three guitar parts I loved every minute of recording!!!

Should have physical CD’s ready in the next 2-3 weeks and an official release date for ya soon!

Here is To The Moon And Back:

 

Cheers,

Lee

PS. Today was a GREAT day. My niece was born, an album was born and … I’m as excited as $%&^ that YOU are actually reading this and listening to my music 🙂

 

Posted by in Rock The Water, Single and tagged as , , ,

1 Comments / Leave a comment or question

September 22, 2012

CD Release Date Coming Soon

FULL ALBUM #ROCKTHEWATER  HAS BEEN MASTERED & SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS!!!

It seems like yesterday I picked up the guitar for the first time.  For years I was just the ‘guitarist’, and I was always happy with that, but behind closed doors, from day one, I was writing songs and singing (when nobody could hear me of course). Ha… I still like to write in the bathroom 🙂  I always thought I sucked. Even to this day, it is hard to listen to my own songs with out being overly judgmental about  not sounding like some of my favorite artists; Foo Fighters, John Mayer, Eric Clapton, etc.

Today it HIT me! Who cares!!!!! I’m an artist and I sound like ME!

I just scheduled a meeting Sunday night to go review my mastered album, with Polyphonic Mastering Labs,  before I release it to the world. 8 songs that I wrote (should have been 10 but that’s another story). 8 songs that will soon  be on every digital site online and a physical  CD that will be my first, but not last, attempt at exposing my songs to the world in hopes that they will live long beyond what ever time I am granted on this planet! At the time of recording these songs they were the best I had in me. Today, I realize by recording Rock The Water it was just a spark igniting a flame. It has resulted in the inspiration for so many new songs I can’t begin to describe…

Thanks again to Scott Pinder, of Polyphonic Mastering Labs,   for mastering my album Rock The Water and as well to producer & engineer Len Milne for making this possible!

Stay tuned! CD release date is coming REAL REAL soon!

Cheers,

Lee

PS.  I may release the album on Oct. 5th (Alexander Keith’s Birthday) ….thoughts?  

Posted by in Alexander Keith, Rock The Water, Song Writing and tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

September 11, 2012

Rock The Water Album Art Contest Winner

150 hours in studio DONE= 8 Songs (+2 for Second Album 🙂

148 album art designs…contest  DONE= 1 Winning Album Cover (Congrats George Weis of Tekeme Studios)

Finishing what you started=PRICELESS

CD Release  & long list of people to thank COMING VERY soon.

Rock The Water ~ Album Art

Posted by in Contest, Rock The Water and tagged as , , , , ,

1 Comments / Leave a comment or question

July 29, 2012

The Art of Unplugging

To stay creative and in touch with reality these days… DANG, in my opinion,  you just have to step away for a bit from the internet, smart phones, iPAds, Facebook and the myriad of other brain sucking tunnel vision technology that we all have been dealing with  this past decade!

Tomorrow at Noon, I say goodbye to technology for a week; NO phones, NO internet…. just life!!!  Other than keeping my digital camera ready to catch video or amazing still images for later digital consumption of course 🙂

DURING  MY UNPLUGGED WEEK “Please, I need your help!” As I posted on Facebook yesterday, I’m having a hell of a time nailing down a name for this debut album. Any ‘name’ suggestions  you can come up with are more than appreciated… they will earn you an album credit and a secret surprise I have been dreaming up.

So please post your ideas for the album name in the comments below…

Here are the song names (in NO particular order) to get your juices flowing:

Rock The Water
Three Guitars
The River Runs
Mr. Maker
One & The Same
Alexander Keith
To The Moon & Back
Pick Up The Phone

Posted by in Misc and tagged as , , ,

0 Comments / Leave a comment or question

Older Entries