FARMINGTON — Four strings, three chords and the agile fingers of 10 students in Ukulele 101 resounded in a rendition of “Happy Birthday” at Mt. Blue Middle School.

After showing students where to place their fingers for each chord, instructor Michael Burd asked the students if they knew the meaning of muscle memory. It’s doing it until it comes naturally, he said. He urged the students to “practice, practice, practice” the simple song before the next class.

The hourlong class in the Mt. Blue Regional School District Adult and Community Education program Wednesday was the first of a four-week session at the school.

Burd, who teaches technology and life skills for the adult education program, is also a professional musician, playing bass with David Mallett, Noel Paul Stukey and others.

A weathered ukulele purchased for $2 at a yard sale hung on his wall until home renovations caused him to move it. About a year ago, he learned to play it. A friend restored the small instrument and found markings dating its origin  to the 1920s in New York City. It just needed some love, he said.

The ukulele brings back a sense of community for Burd. In his travels as a musician, he’s found an incredible absence of children outside playing in neighborhoods. Playing brings back that sense of a community of kids.

“It’s a happy sound. Who can’t help but smile when they hear a C chord on a ukulele?” he told the class.

He’s not alone in his ukulele playing. This is his second class. A four-week session last fall was so much fun for participants they repeated it with another four weeks, he said.

While most may think of vaudeville comedians playing the ukulele, it has made a comeback, with clubs forming across the country and internationally.

“They’re hot. They’re getting really popular,” Cyndy Stancioff of Chesterville, who was auditing the class while her daughter played, said. Her daughter, Louisa, a Mt. Blue High School student and a member of the Franklin County Fiddlers, wanted to add the ukulele to her repertoire, she said.

Likewise, Mt. Blue senior Kelsey Kidd of New Vineyard said she plays guitar but tried playing a friend’s ukulele. She then added a request for one to her Christmas wish list and received it.

A popular, young, one-man band, Never Shout Never, plays a ukulele, she said. The Never Shout Never website offers a contest for ukulele players to submit videos by the end of March for a posting of the top 10 videos on the website.

George Harrison of the Beatles was known for giving ukuleles away, Burd said.

Sarah Otley of Farmington was inspired to get a ukulele and learn to play after reading a post on a knitting blog from a knitter who was enchanted with the ukulele.

Although she grew up in a fairly musical family, Deborah Kempton of Farmington expressed her talents through art. Her father tried to teach her guitar, but it wasn’t for her.

“With only four strings, I thought I might have a chance,” she said about learning the ukulele.

For others, the class is a chance to learn something new and get out of the house.

Frances Kimball of Farmington didn’t have a reason for taking the class, she was just there, she said while introducing herself. Afterward she admitted it was fun.

With just these three basic chords, several songs can be played, Burd said. He provided links to online help for tuning the ukulele and a free e-book of music.

Burd encouraged the students to bring in simple songs they would like to play and to share their new musical skill with others.

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