Curious as to what others commitment levels are like for bands, and why you have that level of commitment.

These days, for me it's pretty low...I'm good for a dozen or so gigs a year, and a rehearsal or two leading up to that gig if needed.   I'm generally pretty good at learning tunes though, so more often than not am able to just go over tunes at home and show up and play gigs.

My commitment level is low due to:

I work too much
Not interested in rehearsing Sunday afternoons (which is when most people seem to want to rehearse)
Other hobbies/interests I want to spend time with...
Not interested in destroying my vehicle getting to/from gigs and rehearsals (previous vehicle was driven into the ground doing music).

Well, I'm in three bands right now.  In the last week, I've had 5 rehearsals, three concerts and a bar gig.  In a freakin' week.  

I play trombone and bass trombone and my chops are stiff and swollen this morning.  Even my nose is stiff.

A trumpet player I know wants me for a brass quintet.  I love quintet work.  There's no way I can turn that down.

So, how committed am I?  I think I just answered that question!!

Been thinking about the OP’s question.  It might be that you can judge your level of commitment by the number of calls you get.  

Face it; if you aren’t getting many calls, you’re probably not committed enough to work hard enough to learn the skills needed to become an in-demand musician.  

From the posts I read here, most musicians play guitar.  Most can’t read music and don’t have much understanding of music theory.  Most can play a few chords in a very few keys.  

My point:  You can find musicians like that behind every blade of grass.  Who’s going to call you if you aren’t demonstrating the commitment necessary to learn your art?  What makes you stand out among all the other garage-band guitar players?

One of the bands I play in is a 17 piece jazz band.  We normally start off a gig with the leader saying, “Okay, let’s play a blues in F”.  Or it might be in Bb or Eb or C or Ab or whatever he feels like.  The rhythm section starts off and everyone takes a ride.  All the musicians know the standard blues changes in every key, so it’s no problem.  Those guys and girls have paid their dues by learning their craft.  If they can’t cut it, they don’t get asked back and the word gets around that they can’t play.  They don’t get any more calls.

BTW, our guitar player is phenomenal!  His solos will knock your freaking socks off!

So, what’s your level of commitment?  Do your skills make you special, or are you just another guitar hack?  

Lets see...
Full time college student (music major)
Play sax in wind ensemble, jazz band and have played in sax quartet/choir, clarinet choir, early music ensemble and sing in a non auditioned choir. Per week I rehearse about 15 hours for the three ensembles I'm in.
Outside of school, I play in five different bands playing everything from standard band literature to big band music. In the last month I've had three or four gigs and about as many rehearsals. I can't give an accurate count because I don't have my calendar in front of me.

I'd say my level of commitment is pretty high. I volunteer for a lot of these gigs trying to get my name out in hopes of landing a good paying gig.

Well, my band is finishing up an album that won't be toured or shown because life has gotten the best of two other members and they can't dedicate the time to it like they used to. So, the band is calling it quits. However, I've already got three out of four members ready to go on a new project I'll be fronting and running. We're currently in the writing stages and are meeting once a week to showcase ideas and flesh out others. We'll be moving that to three nights a week once we get the fourth member.
 



ETA: I also handpicked the members I wanted. I couldn't get the drummer I wanted but that's ok, he gave me some very good leads.

Let's see now..I don't read music. I know a few scales and chord progressions. I play guitar in any key the lead vocalist wants... I practice my playing on average around 10 hours a week not counting band practices every Saturday and 45 min Sunday mornings before church for two services that I go in they throw me a lyrics sheet with the chord progressions and we do it...I also play bass and electric guitar as well as acoustic guitar. I don't now much about music but I get by with a better than average ear for pitch and tone. My services are requested and I do work at what I do...but am I still worthless ...

 

Some of these posts are in line with my observations, that for musicians with the highest level of commitment the word "band" is used in its plural form.

Minimal...

My band is made up of college friends who have gone on to professional careers all over the state of MI.  We play one or two gigs a year because we like playing but we don't want to be slaves to playing.  We make our money working 8-5, M-F.  Saturday night is just to have a little fun with life on the side.

We decide on a set list and practice for a few months on our own then maybe get together for "deer camp" weekend a few weeks before the gig or maybe we just practice the Friday night before the gig when we all roll into town.

Typically the gigs are church fundraisers or parties for friends.  A few band members fill in in other bands or in my case I run my church youth praise band.  We all have other careers and music is, for the most part, a fun hobby to us.