The Industrial Rock band Nine Inch Nails still performs in 2022, but Calhoun Community College has the benefit of having founding band member Chris Vrenna on campus to teach a new generation interested in audio production.
Vrenna is the Program Coordinator and Instructor of the Music Technology program at Calhoun. The classes are held at the Alabama Center for the Arts in downtown Decatur.
Vrenna is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy winner, who moved south to teach at Calhoun in 2018.
“Music technology” encompasses all aspects of audio production. We learn proper recording techniques and microphone placements, audio mixing, the specific industry standard software programs, sound design and field recording for visual media (TV, film, video games,) recording industry business, as well as basic music theory,” Vrenna said.
Vrenna says after 25 plus years in the music industry, he was looking for a new challenge, so he started teaching and lecturing.
“I started volunteering for an after-school program in Hollywood where I was living. That led to me traveling to some small arts colleges to give guest lectures in recording. I immediately fell in love with sharing information to young people. I was only 20 years old when Nine Inch Nails (NIN) got famous, so it was exciting for me to pass on the information and experiences I gained with a new generation of musicians,” he said.
“From there, I went back to college to finish my Bachelor’s degree that I had abandoned back in 1989 when NIN got popular so that I could teach at the college level. Since then, I earned my Master’s degree in 2020.”
Vrenna says his long music career is invaluable to his teaching.
“I take advantage of all of my personal experiences (both good and bad!) and share those with my students. I also continue to have a very active freelancing career where I mix albums, produce remixes, and score video games for clients in my personal studio at home.”
Calhoun students get to watch Vrenna on his freelance work.
“When I am working on a freelance project, I use that as a form of “real time” learning. I share with students my email correspondence with the client from a business example, and I bring in the specific project as I am working on it, which shows students how a freelancer would work from start to final delivery.”
Watching Vrenna make a presentation on “The Political, Economic & Social Impact of Rock and Roll Music on Modern Culture”, on April 20th, it was clear to see his passion for music and teaching.