[4] Isaac Oviedo was born on July 6, 1902, in the village of Sabanilla del Encomendador (now known as Juan Gualberto Gómez) in the municipality of Unión de Reyes, Matanzas, Cuba.

At age 11 he learned to play the tres from a musician from Santiago de Cuba who had relocated to Matanzas after the War of Independence.

[9] Back in Havana the Sexteto Matancero became a septeto with the addition of cornettist Serafín Terry and recorded four songs in June 1930 for Brunswick.

[5] Between 1962 and 1968, Oviedo performed with Los Tutankamén, a live band organized by Alfredo González Suazo "Sirique" at his peña.

[6] Oviedo is considered one of the earliest innovators of the tres, developing a series of techniques that increased the timbral and melodic possibilities of the instrument.

Most importantly, he pioneered the thumb stroke known as alzapúa (a technique already used by mandolinists and nowadays common in flamenco),[1][14] as well as the use of the pinky finger.

[1][2] Although sometimes described as "traditionalist" in comparison to treseros from later decades,[15] Oviedo is considered the first virtuoso of the tres due to his varied and complex style, which was imitated by many.