The Road to Music Director with Nate Sousa

In Episode 18 of Worship, Bass, Coffee, Jay sits down with his friend and fellow musician Nate Sousa (aka “The Sooze”), the Music Director at The Bridge Church in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Nate shares his journey from growing up in a musical family to becoming a multi-instrumentalist and seasoned worship music director.The conversation covers Nate’s early years playing drums, teaching himself guitar, and eventually discovering his passion for music directing while in college. He also talks about his time working alongside worship leader Aaron Blanton, the move from California to Tennessee, and how those experiences shaped his approach to worship ministry and music production.Jay and Nate dive into topics like preparing for Sundays, the role of an MD in supporting the worship leader and band, how musicians can serve the song rather than themselves, and the importance of dynamics and listening in a worship setting. They also discuss gear, tone, bass and guitar perspectives in worship music, and Nate’s work with Tone Junkie creating guitar presets.Along the way, the episode includes plenty of funny stories, gear talk, and practical advice for musicians who serve on worship teams—whether they play bass, guitar, or lead bands from the MD chair.It’s a relaxed, insightful conversation between friends about worship, musicianship, and the joy of serving together in church music.So grab your favorite cup of coffee, kick back, and enjoy the conversation.