Universal Audio has released the latest update to the LUNA Recording System, with sidechain input control and Mackie Control support. Here Brent March provides his thoughts and a quick release overview video.
New
Sidechain Input
The new sidechain utility feature allows the assignment of a persistent sidechain input on individual tracks and buses. In the sidechain console row, you can insert any capable AU units, for example, the API Vision Channel Strip or API 2500. Furthermore, the sidechain trim allows you to adjust the sidechain source per track or bus level. Lastly, the side chain SOLO provides for the temporary focus on the source.
MCU Control Surface Support
Users control LUNA using any control surface that implements the Mackie Control Universal protocol. Users can combine up to 6 MCU compatible control surfaces within the controller's tab on the settings page. Dedicate single fader controllers as a 'Focus Module' that always follows LUNA's Focus Channel, based on track selection. Now, your control surface and monitor will always link up and make scrolling redundant.
Any Mackie control surface can be used to change volume, pan, toggle mute, solo, record enable, and input monitor for each track in your session. In addition, users can now cycle between multiple automation modes so fader moves can quickly be recorded in either read, touch or latch during playback. Users can, of course, take advantage of LUNA's transport controls and toggle looping and click tracks for recording on the fly and doing takes to layers.
Improved
LUNA v1.2 will automatically install iLok License Manager 5.4
Copy to CUES and Copy to SENDS command now works based on the track selection instead of all tracks
Using keyboard shortcuts to extend the track selection now scrolls the timeline view when necessary
Focus Channel now shows the last selected track in a selection of tracks and switches to any clicked track in an edit group where all tracks are selected
Fixed
Resolved an issue that could cause Console channels in ISOLATE mode to stop passing audio when opening a session with a soloed track
Resolved an issue that prevented renaming a template
Resolved an issue that could prevent quantized settings from being shared between session versions
Resolved an issue that prevented timeline selection on bus tracks that were at Mini or smaller track heights
Command + Up/Down arrow no longer fails to change the track focus when renaming tracks with the track color picker open
Tracks now retain their current track view when duplicated
Final Thoughts
Although version 1.2 isn't a significant release, these minor updates make LUNA a more versatile recording solution. In addition, Mackie Control surface owners will be delighted to see the added support in version 1.2, allowing for a more tactile engineering and mixing workflow.