Vladimir Vysotsky (1938–1980) was a Soviet bard, poet, and actor. His acoustic guitar performances defined 20th-century Russian culture. Despite censorship, his music reached millions through homemade tape recordings known as magnitizdat . Acoustic Musical Style
: His voice was deep, hoarse, and intense. It was marked by a distinctive raspy emphasis on consonants. This added emotional power to his lyrics. Vladimir Vysotsky (1938–1980) was a Soviet bard, poet,
: He played the Russian seven-string guitar. This guitar has different tuning and chord voicing than the standard six-string Spanish guitar. Vladimir Vysotsky (1938–1980) was a Soviet bard, poet,
: He tuned his guitar down by a full tone or more (often to a "low pitch A"). This created a dark resonance with lower string tension. Vladimir Vysotsky (1938–1980) was a Soviet bard, poet,
Vysotsky's acoustic sound has unique technical and vocal characteristics: