Join Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols in Episode 21 of The No Cover Charge Podcast as they geek out over the Neural DSP Archetype: John Mayer X plugin. This is not sponsored! The boys just love tone! Expect epic jams, preset breakdowns, real amp comparisons, and surprises like... Jared playing a Silver Sky? Gasp! From buttery cleans to roaring drives, discover why this plugin captures John Mayer's iconic tones and what its potential may be.

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The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.

Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.

Plug in and hang out.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - John Mayer's Neural DSP plugin

1:19 - How good is this plugin actually?

2:08 - A Surprise For Jared

4:02 - The sound of three amps in the room

4:56 - Lead 2 Live Room preset

7:22 - Eflat Voodoo preset

10:13 - Golden Gate preset

10:45 - Just Plain Dumb preset

16:43 - Gravity Clean preset

18:09 - Gravity Lead preset

18:55 - ODX preset

19:42 - Hot Bridge preset

20:53 - Stately Blues preset

26:22 - Party Time preset

26:32 - Play Nice Voicings preset

28:30 - Funk Start Me Up preset

30:42 - John Will Be Loved preset

32:20 - Johnzilla 5 preset

32:32 - Johnzilla 1 preset

34:27 - Gnarly Slide preset

36:30 - Express Yourself preset

37:46 - Clean Your Room preset

39:15 - SRV 54 preset

39:49 - Green Zone Rhythm preset

43:11 - I Don't Trust Myself vibes

43:18 - Reflective Funk preset

44:00 - Tasty Trem preset

45:55 - This video wasn't sponsored, but we love this plugin

47:30 - Have you ever heard Wild Blue?

Looking to level up your guitar playing in 2026? 🎸In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols share 26 real-world guitar practice tips that go beyond boring routines and actually make you a better musician.From honing rhythm, melody, and tone, to mindset shifts, recording yourself, silent practice, and learning from non-guitar instruments, this episode is packed with practical advice for beginner, intermediate, and advanced guitar players alike.Whether you’ve got 15 minutes a day or you’re chasing your next breakthrough, these tips will help you practice smarter, stay inspired, and make real progress in the new year.

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The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.

Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.

Plug in and hang out.

In Episode 19 of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols sit down with Ben Travers, a monster guitarist, thoughtful musician, and Grammy-nominated songwriter — for a deep, honest conversation about guitar, creativity, technique, and the mental side of being a musician.

This episode goes far beyond chops. Ben opens up about insecurity, social anxiety, discipline, effective practice, alternate picking, theory vs feel, songwriting, touring realities, and what it really takes to keep growing as a guitarist in today’s world. Expect jaw-dropping playing, real talk, and practical insights you can apply to your own guitar journey.

Whether you’re into shredding, blues, songwriting, or just love thoughtful guitar conversations, this episode delivers.

Check out all things Ben Travers

⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠

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⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge. Plug in and hang out.

What an incredible year it's been! Although we only launched this show a few months ago, it feels like something we'll be doing for a long time, thanks to you, our guests, and the power of ROCK. We are humbled and grateful for all of your support, and we'll see you in 2026! Happy New Year!Love,Tyler & Jared

⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify⁠⁠⁠

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⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge. Plug in and hang out.

In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols take on the timeless creative challenge: writing a song in an hour. With no plan, no pressure, and a room full of guitars, amps, and pedals, they build a rock song from scratch in real time.

Watch as riffs turn into verses, choruses emerge organically, and a full song takes shape through tone chasing, odd time signatures, gear experiments, and pure musical instinct. This episode pulls back the curtain on the songwriting process, showing how musicians collaborate, problem-solve, keep it real, and follow inspiration wherever it leads.

If you love guitar tone, songwriting, creative process, or watching music get made from nothing — this one’s for you. The song isn't half bad either ;)

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0:00 - Writing a Song in One Hour

0:31 - Rules of the Songwriting Challenge

0:48 - Guitar Pedals and Gear Overview

1:38 - Choosing Guitars and Amps for Songwriting

1:58 - How Guitar Tone Sparks Song Ideas

2:29 - Cranking a Marshall for Riff Writing

3:03 - Finding the Groove and Tempo

3:54 - Building the Main Guitar Riff

4:23 - Turning a Riff into a Song Structure

5:04 - Songwriting Advice: Don’t Overthink It

6:06 - Using Fuzz and Texture for Inspiration

7:52 - Creating Verses and Choruses

9:04 - Switching Guitar Amps for New Sounds

10:34 - Using Alternate Tuning for Songwriting

11:46 - Writing a Chorus That Hits Hard

13:01 - Adding Harmony and Movement

15:49 - Avoiding Blues Clichés in Rock Songs

17:16 - Choosing the Right Drum Groove

18:40 - Writing a Bridge That Creates Contrast

22:28 - Experimenting with Odd Time Signatures

24:57 - Locking in the Bridge Section

25:38 - Preparing for Guitar Solos

30:29 - Adding Ambient Guitar Layers

38:09 - Final Song Structure Comes Together

40:48 - Recording Guitar Solos

47:05 - The Creative Process Explained

51:40 - Final Song Reveal: Dr. Death

The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.

Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.

Plug in and hang out.

Thank you to the sponsor of our show, ⁠Roswell Pro Audio!

Looking for the perfect gift for the guitarist in your life? In this holiday-themed episode of the No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols are joined by very special guest Marty Schwartz to share genuinely useful, fun, and inspiring guitar gift ideas at every price point.

From must-have pedals and practice tools to clever stocking stuffers and tone-shaping essentials, this is not your typical guitar gift guide. Expect real talk, great stories, live playing, and thoughtful recommendations that guitar players will actually use.

Perfect for beginners, serious players, and anyone shopping for a guitarist who already “has everything.”

Thank you to the sponsor of our show, Roswell Pro Audio!

0:00 - Holiday Episode Kickoff

0:43 - Our first sponsor, Roswell Pro Audio

2:45 - Why This Isn’t a Typical Guitar Gift Guide

5:15 - Our VERY Special Guest Marty Schwartz Joins Us

6:34 - Worst Guitar Gifts Ever (And Why They Miss)

12:32 - Gift #1: Joe Bonamassa Guitar Back Scratcher

14:57 - Gift #2: Guitar Technique & Exercise Books

17:53 - Gift #3: This Precious Guitar Pick

20:32 - Gift #4: Stylish Capos That Don’t Suck

22:58 - Gift #5: Source Audio C4 Synth Pedal

25:24 - Gift #6: Gristle King Dual-Gain Overdrive

27:23 - Gift #7: Walrus Audio Jupiter Fuzz

28:52 - Gift #8: D’Addario Micro Headstock Tuner

31:09 - Should You Ever Buy a Guitar as a Gift?

Wrap-Up & Reflections

32:15 - Marty Schwartz on Gratitude and Teaching Guitar

34:21 - The Real Impact of Guitar Education

36:57 - Final JAM Session

GIFT LINKS!

Source Audio C4 Synth

Gristle King Dual-Gain Overdrive

Walrus Audio Jupiter Fuzz

D’Addario Micro Headstock Tuner

Joe Bonamassa Blues Rock Backscratcher

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify

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The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.

Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.

Plug in and hang out.

In Episode 15 of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols break down every phase of a guitarist’s life — from the first moment music grabs you to the highs, lows, gear spirals, plateaus, breakthroughs, and the reality of becoming a career musician. Expect hilarious stories, inspiring advice, honest struggles, and spontaneous riffing as Tyler and Jared reveal the universal stages all guitar players experience.

Whether you’re in the pre-guitar awakening phase, deep in the obsession phase, stuck in the plateau phase, overwhelmed by gear acquisition syndrome, or pushing through the practice and discipline phase, this episode will feel like therapy… with more overdrive.

Sit back, plug in, and enjoy a guitarist’s journey we all share.

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TIMESTAMPS

0:12 – Opening Jam in D, the People's Key

1:37 – Introducing today’s topic: the phases of a guitarist’s life

3:13 – PRE-GUITAR AWAKENING PHASE

4:06 – Wanting to be a drummer first

5:23 – Getting talked into guitar instead

6:07 – Early sounds that “unlocked” the instrument

7:28 – Discovering open-string magic

9:03 – The Incubus/Mike Einziger influence

10:03 – OBSESSION PHASE begins

12:17 – Learning why players sound different

13:35 – Unlocking nuance and tone

16:20 – PLATEAU PHASE — when everything feels wrong

21:15 – Rut-busting tricks and new tunings

24:24 – Entering the GAS PHASE

26:50 – First pieces of gear that changed everything

29:20 – Gear expectations vs. reality

31:13 – PRACTICE & DISCIPLINE PHASE

33:55 – Berklee stories & formative experiences

37:01 – Leaving the comfort zone

39:01 – Jared’s Guitar Center “Horror Story”

43:37 – The phase of becoming a CAREER MUSICIAN

46:16 – Why we keep playing: the same feeling from day one

47:53 – Walrus Audio Melee joystick pedal demo

49:18 – Final jam & wrap-up

Buy a Walrus Audio Melee

The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.

Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.

Plug in and hang out.

Join Tyler Larson ( ⁨@MusicisWin⁩ ) and Jared James Nichols ( ⁨@JJNicholsMusic⁩ ) as they dig deep into the strangest, wildest, most unexplainable guitar gear they've collected over the years. From synth pedals that instantly break your brain to haunted stompboxes, octave chaos machines, forgotten vintage oddities, and micro-guitars that refuse to stay in tune, this episode is pure gear-nerd comedy gold.If you love guitar tone experiments, unpredictable sounds, and two friends losing it on camera over bonkers gear… this is the episode for you.Expect laughs, real tone talk, surprising discoveries, and some truly cursed noises. And if you wanna buy any of the gear in this episode, you can actually find some of it below...

Wanna buy one of these pedals?

Source Audio C4 Synth

Korg MIKU: good luck finding one

Boss Enhancer: good luck finding one

MXR La Machine (is unavailable now but...)

Boss Metal Zone, baby

Copper Sound Pedals Triplegraph: good luck finding one

Fender mini Stratocaster

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – The funniest episode yet begins

1:45 – Introducing the Weird Gear Episode

2:28 – The mysterious Dark Planet guitar appears

3:06 – Jared admits he’s scared of synth pedals

4:30 – The FUNNIEST moment in the history of the show

5:59 – Discovering legitimately cool tones by accident

7:13 – Linking all pedals below (and why you’ll want the C4)

7:30 – The infamous MIKU pedal makes its entrance

8:52 – “We’re getting censored for sure” – the pedal screams at us

9:16 – The Enhancer pedal: what exactly is it?

11:10 – Seriously… is this thing doing anything?

11:34 – The sea-monster pedal emerges

12:43 – Pure chaos tones: “This pedal might be broken… nope.”

14:09 – The Metal Zone test, 2025 edition

15:44 – Isolated metal tones: so bad it’s good?

17:47 – Why weird tones actually inspire better riffs

19:00 – Jared tries to channel James Hetfield with no pick

20:57 – The Triplegraph, tap-dancing into madness

23:02 – The German chaos delay pedal takes over the room

26:25 – The tiny guitar that refuses to stay in tune

30:51 – Wrapping up + should we do Weird Gear Part 2?

The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.Plug in and hang out.

Guitar phenom Angel Vivaldi ( ⁨@AngelVivaldi⁩ ) joins Tyler Larson ( ⁨@MusicisWin⁩ ) for Episode 13 of The No Cover Charge Podcast — and this one is packed with tone talk, tour stories, creative philosophy, and plenty of laughs. From joining the Steve Morse Band, to never having used a pedalboard (wtf?!), to carving out space as a genre-bending artist, Angel opens up about growth, humility, tone chasing, and what truly matters in a musician’s life. Expect deep insights, inspiring stories, killer playing, and a whole lot of guitar geekery.If you love guitar tone, creative evolution, progressive metal, Steve Morse, or Angel Vivaldi’s incredible artistry, this episode is for you.

For all things Angel Vivaldi

Angel's artistic management service, Xenith Counsel

Check out Jared on tour!

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – Where’s Jared? (UK tour update)

0:24 – Why Steve Morse wanted Angel in his band

0:54 – Angel plugs into a pedalboard for the first time

1:48 – The Frusciante tuning method

4:05 – Angel joins the Steve Morse Band

5:49 – Tone, frequency targeting, and crafting patches on tour

8:05 – Angel’s Latin, jazz, funk, and acoustic background

9:00 – Growing up with salsa, dancing, and church music

10:46 – Why many metal musicians don’t listen to metal

12:48 – Conversation on grind culture and creative hiatus

14:53 – How gear, fashion, and symmetry communicate identity

16:01 – Why Angel moved from Ibanez to Charvel

19:57 – Perspective: what if you couldn’t play anymore?

25:03 – Angel & Tyler SHRED BATTLE

26:03 – How guitar scenes have merged into one digital world

27:13 – What Angel learned from Steve Morse about adapting

28:55 – Angel’s upcoming tours, records, Charvel 7-string, and Xenith Counsel

⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠

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The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all?

No cover charge.

Plug in and hang out.

Join Tyler Larson ( ⁨@MusicisWin⁩ ) and Jared James Nichols ( ⁨@JJNicholsMusic⁩ ) as they sit down with blues titan Josh Smith ( ⁨@JoshSmithGuitar⁩ ) for one of the most inspiring guitarist deep-dives we’ve ever filmed, for real! In this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast, Josh opens up about tone chasing, creativity, gear myths, BB King’s 100th birthday album, insane string gauges (yes… 13s in standard tuning), improvisation, career evolution, and the mindset required to survive as a lifelong musician. Expect jaw-dropping playing, hilarious moments, killer stories from the road and studio, and some of the most honest guitar philosophy you’ll hear anywhere. If you love guitar, blues, tone, Telecasters, or just watching masters talk shop—this episode is for you.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠

⁠⁠The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify⁠⁠

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠

⁠⁠Facebook⁠

The No Cover Charge Podcast with Tyler Larson & Jared James Nichols is your all-access backstage pass to the world of guitar—and there's never a cover at the proverbial door. Hosted by two of the most passionate guitarists you'll find, Tyler and Jared deliver a mix of electrifying interviews with legendary guitarists, laugh-out-loud tales from the road, deep dives into guitar culture, and no-holds-barred gear talk.Whether you're a lifelong shredder or just love music, you'll find something unexpected in every episode—a hidden gem, a new perspective, an epic jam, or a story that'll stick with you. It’s always a good time, and best of all? No cover charge.Plug in and hang out.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Welcome to the first NIGHT pod!

1:29 - The jam warm-up

4:50 - Tyler predicts the World Series

5:27 - Who is the Shohei Ohtani of guitar?

7:30 - Electronic drums, The Who, and live performance quirks

9:05 - MIDI guitars and gear rabbit holes

10:30 - Improvisation vs. noodling

12:14 - Playing in time: the secret almost everyone learns late

13:26 - Following intuition and musical breadcrumbs

15:02 - What makes great solos connect

16:01 - Three-way rhythmic improvisation experiment

17:27 - Josh’s year producing the BB King 100th album

18:34 - Tracking 33 songs and wrangling 40 guest artists

20:56 - Paul Rodgers tracks Night Life on the BB King sessions

23:28 - Josh Smith uses 13 GAUGE STRINGS

24:40 - Trying Josh’s guitar out… ouch

27:36 - Roy Lanham and forgotten guitar influences

32:14 - Josh demonstrates how his style evolved

35:36 - Becoming yourself instead of copying your heroes

38:43 - Why the Telecaster unlocks Josh’s true voice

40:14 - The Telecaster is the ultimate apocalypse-proof guitar

41:44 - Tone is personal—and your gear should inspire you

44:45 - Amp vs. guitar: the eternal debate

47:29 - Josh’s new signature Ibanez Flat V2

56:12 - Life updates and reevaluating the dream