Thanks, RNB.

There is an open mic at a cafe nearby that only allows original tunes. I had nothing to play until now!

Several people have commented that they'd like to play this tune. It was too hot to do any gardening today, so after a water gun fight with my daughter I sat down and tabbed this one out. You can find a pdf of the tablature here: Dusty T's "Hoo Ha in the Hole." .

A couple of notes about the tab. First, at the end of the first and sixth measures I kind of strum across the open strings and mute everything at the same time for a percussive effect. I didn't know how to tab that so I just put in an open chord but indicated that it should be staccato. Since the only way to stop the open strings from ringing is to mute them, that will approximate the same effect. Second, all the eighth note sequences I listed as a dotted eighth and a sixteenth. But the point is merely that everything should "swing." Just make sure the first of each eighth note pair is held a little longer than the second.

Let me know if you find any mistakes in the tab or if you have any questions. I'd get a big kick out of hearing someone else play this.

Maryann, I'm glad you got your tablet working, and thanks for your kind words. I played the guitar and mandolin before discovering the dulcimer, so I had a big headstart.

Thanks, Val. I really appreciate your comments. Your own playing is a model of precision that I try to emulate.

A real bit of class Dusty. That is some progress is such a short space of time.

Thanks so much, Janene!

Dusty, I really LOVE this style of playing...absolutely loved it!

Doug, if you capo at the fourth fret you can play the first part of this tune. But you will not be able to play the second part without an extra fret. Notice how at the end of the B part I use those three narrow frets in a row around the 6, 6+ and 7 frets. Once you capo at 4 you will not have that option unless you have the 8+ fret (which is the octave of the 1+).

Ah, so I guess you can't capo up and use the 6+ fret as a substitute for the 1+ fret. ;) (I didn't analyze it that closely... My dulcimer barely fit a 6+ fret)

Thanks, Steve. Feel free to give the tune a try. You will need the 1+ fret for sure. I plan to write tab for it once work demands ease up a bit.

Thanks, Cynthia. I had hoped to see you in Berkeley last month. Redwood Dulcimer Day in August perhaps?

Deliciously Dusty.!

True dat!

You know...even in the sense I know it, it's family friendly; it's pretty darn hard to have a family without one. ;)

Thanks, Jan. Yes, when Steve used that expression a whole bunch of us were surprised and also amused. To me, the phrase doesn't necessarily mean any one single thing, but it could mean a lot of things that you don't want to say outright. Most are not family friendly, but I kind of think it conjures up whatever image you want, so it is only as family friendly or unfriendly as your imagination.

For the record, I told Steve I would take his name off the description of this piece if he wished, but he is fine with it. And I played the song in the song circle at the Berkeley Dulcimer Gathering last weekend, so he's heard it (though I was a bit nervous and did not play my best).

At some point I will put some tab together for this song and will make it available to other friends of the mountain dulcimer.

PS I really like the song and would like to learn how to play it. You have great skills on the fretboard! Very impressive!

I'll have to have a chat with Steve Eulberg...I'll be seeing him at Kentucky Music Week in June.

This may mean singing into a soundhole to some folks, but to others, this title conjures up an image of someone using an outhouse aka yard toilet, external facility, biffy, etc.

Also, I guess to others this has even a LESS "family friendly" connotation! a-hem!

Thanks so much, Helen! Yeah, it's true that my sense of what constitutes sloppiness has evolved since my first dulcimer playing five years ago. That's a good thing, though.

Thanks, Double K!