In context, the Swedish word "ballad" is a subtype of "visa" that tells a story in many verses, similar to the medieval ballads, as opposed to for instance lyrical songs about the beauty of nature. The Swedish ballads can be performed to a big orchestra but are often sung to fairly simple accompaniment on guitar, or other instruments such as piano or accordion.
Swedish ballads are a subtype of "visa" and share similarities with medieval ballads in their storytelling format. They can be performed with various musical arrangements, including orchestral settings and simpler acoustic ones.