No Cover Charge Podcast

Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols
  • 5.0 (44)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS

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, 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.

  1. Episode 18 - The Future of This Podcast

    4D AGO

    Episode 18 - The Future of This Podcast

    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 ⁠⁠⁠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.

    56 min
  2. Episode 17 - The "Write a Song in 1 Hour" Challenge

    12/22/2025

    Episode 17 - The "Write a Song in 1 Hour" Challenge

    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 ;) ⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ 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!

    55 min
  3. Episode 16 - The Ultimate Guitarist Gift Guide (ft. Marty Schwartz)

    12/15/2025

    Episode 16 - The Ultimate Guitarist Gift Guide (ft. Marty Schwartz)

    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 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.

    40 min
  4. Episode 15 - The 5 Phases of a Guitarist's Life

    12/08/2025

    Episode 15 - The 5 Phases of a Guitarist's Life

    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. ⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ 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.

    52 min
  5. Episode 14 - The "Weird Gear" Episode (was hilarious)

    12/01/2025

    Episode 14 - The "Weird Gear" Episode (was hilarious)

    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.

    32 min
  6. Episode 13 - Angel Vivaldi

    11/24/2025

    Episode 13 - Angel Vivaldi

    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 ⁠⁠⁠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.

    30 min
  7. Episode 12 - Josh Smith

    11/18/2025

    Episode 12 - Josh Smith

    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

    1h 5m
  8. Episode 11 - A Klon Centaur Shootout Like You've Never Heard

    11/10/2025

    Episode 11 - A Klon Centaur Shootout Like You've Never Heard

    The holy grail of overdrives takes center stage in this episode of The No Cover Charge Podcast! Tyler Larson ( @MusicisWin ) and Jared James Nichols ( @JJNicholsMusic ) put an original Klon Centaur head-to-head with some of the most popular Klon clones on the market—from boutique builds to budget pedals—to find out if anything can match the legendary tone. Expect deep tone talk, epic shootouts, and plenty of guitar geekery (plus the story of how Jared became a dad mid-podcast).If you’ve ever wondered why the Klon is the most hyped overdrive pedal in history—or if the clones can truly hang—this is the shootout you’ve been waiting for. 🎸⁠ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠The No Cover Charge Podcast on Spotify⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - The Legendary Klon Centaur Episode Begins... Again 1:06 - Jared’s Life-Changing Phone Call: Becoming a Dad Mid-Podcast 3:12 - “Dad Tone” and the Power of Rock 3:25 - Why Guitarists Obsess Over the Klon Centaur 4:05 - Jared’s First Encounter with the Klon Back at Berklee 5:59 – Discovering the Magic of the Original Klon Tone 6:13 – Tyler’s Pandemic-Era Obsession with Finding a Klon 7:28 – Why the Klon Is the “Charizard” of Guitar Pedals 8:02 – Joe Bonamassa’s Gift: The Story Behind Jared’s Klon 10:26 – The Klon as a Gift and a Legacy 11:18 – Breaking Down Klon Versions: Silver, Gold, Long Tail, Short Tail 12:18 – Time to Hear the Real Klon in Action 13:19 – Clean Tone Test: Fender Princeton vs. Klon Magic 16:40 – The Sweet Spot: Finding the Perfect Klon Gain Setting 19:16 – The First Boutique Pedal: Why the Klon Made History 20:25 – Klon Clone Shootout Setup: OG vs. Modern Imitations 25:14 – Comparing the Klon to Its Clones (JHS, Acorn, Wampler & More) 30:08 – High-Gain Madness: Maxing Out the Klon and Clones 37:12 – How Jared Dials In His Klon for Real-World Playing 40:13 – Final Thoughts: Do You Really Need a $5,000 Klon?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.

    45 min
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5
out of 5
44 Ratings

About

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, 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.

Information

  • Creator
    Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Tyler Larson and Jared James Nichols
  • Show Website
    No Cover Charge Podcast

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