They frequently play at pasacalles, a performance which moves along the streets of a town, while the public follows the band and dances to its tunes.
They are usually composed of about 5 to 10 musicians and can be amateurs who meet for the festivities, or professionals who go from town to town paid by city councils or groups of people. Many middle and high school music students take advantage of their knowledge to earn extra income by playing in the charanga.[2]
They perform popular songs with cheeky lyrics and the musical hits of the year, typical songs depending on the geographical location, some also compose their own songs or make their own potpourris.
^Ricardo Fernández de Latorre: “VIII. Entre la década moderada y O'Donnell. Nacen las charangas de los cazadores”, Historia de la Música Militar de España, Madrid, Ministerio de Defensa, 1999, p. 206