Universal Audio LUNA | DAW Review

I wanted to take some time to talk about Universal Audio's DAW Luna. This software is designed to give more of an analog workflow using extensions such as tape machine and console.
If you are a Pro Tools user like myself, then you will have no problem navigating around this software. I will give you my honest opinion to help you decide if Universal Audio is the right Daw for you.
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[@griffinmusicinc]

Nice video. I've been a ProTools user for 25 years as well. I have always had a love hate relationship with PT for all the reasons everyone else does. I've gone back and forth between different DAW hoping to find a DAW that excites me, and LUNA was the first one to inspire me since PT, but I had to put LUNA on the shelf for a little over a year because it didn't support Kontakt multi-tracking. It now supports multi-tracking, so now I will probably breakup with PT. I just don't know how to tell her yet. lol

[@nickiden]

Oh I totally understand where you’re coming from. I have to projects slotted for this fall and I’m going to attempt them in Luna. However I can see if you would need to use the daw for bigger post projects pro tools I feel is still the way to go

[@griffinmusicinc]

@@nickiden at the moment I’m going to continue to record in PT, but will experiment with exporting the stems out to LUNA for mixing purposes. My very first time mixing in LUNA was my absolute best mix I had ever done since I’ve been creating music. I have a project that I’m pitching for a Christmas show at a theme park where I performed for many years. It’s just a demo so I will probably mix the entire thing in LUNA. Wish me luck.

[@Drum2]

Switched from Logic to LUNA years ago, so much better for me, love Luna so much, especially its workflow and API console emulation add-on.

[@nickiden]

Yeah the api extension is a must for sure

[@BobbyGeneric145]

Nick, your best free daws video introduced me to this daw... I ONLY need an arranger, otherwise I'm dawless... Im going to test arranging my tracks in luna and see how it goes. Its my first daw experience.

[@nickiden]

I think you will like it :D. I haven’t done much with Midi yet with Luna, but I have done some arrangement with song parts and it worked very well

[@BobbyGeneric145]

@@nickiden when I say arrange, I mean take the various wav files ive already recorded into my 1010 bluebox and assemble them into a completed song.

[@itsevar]

25👀?? I’m only in my first decade of music production, and I’m not going to lie I like PT (I’m FL GANG), but I tried LUNA for a bit and it’s absolutely fantastic… I just want them to go native with AUX tracks, the price of an APOLLO be crazy cause I like to PRINT while tracking. This is my one thing, oh and the comping could be better, switching versions trips me up at times

[@nickiden]

Yes, I do love comping in Pro Tools. It’s so easy and clear

[@RecordingStudio9]

I'm trialling LUNA in Windows, which has different audio hardware setup options, I'm too looking forward for LUNA to be my main DAW, once the useability is better. No crashes at all, but there are lots of technical issues on Windows OS platform. Yes, hardware insert option is a must for me too.

[@nickiden]

I heard the windows beta is a bit buggy. What kind of issues are you having? I hope they smooth that out. Thanks for the comment

[@FreakinOutOnAudio]

It’s up and down on windows, but lots of rapid updates so far, and ua doesn’t have a track record of abandoning software: most of their oldest plugins are still updated and working on new os’s and daws etc, and Luna Mac has been around awhile now.

[@MrTonyPruden]

LUNA hasn’t successfully opened yet in Windows for me. It’s starts to open and quits before opening the program.

[@nickiden]

@@MrTonyPruden oh that isn’t good. Do you get any pop ups or does it just crash

[@FreakinOutOnAudio]

Sounds like a plug-in scan failure, which Luna is still hit and miss on.

[@FreakinOutOnAudio]

Luna just recently added very nicely implemented multi-out for vsts. I’d wager the other most requested features (hw inserts and more advanced midi feature set) will show up eventually. Never know when because ua is quiet.

[@nickiden]

Yeah I heard they released the multi out on plug ins. They have been pretty good for updates so hopefully the hw inserts is coming down the pipeline

[@chrisdorsch9754]

Does the mixer come with Duel Panners?

[@nickiden]

On stereo tracks yes

[@jamesjames77777]

Absolutely love Luna but I had to go back to Logic. No hardware inserts in Luna, so you can’t use your outboard equipment. Very sad.

[@nickiden]

Yeah I agree. I think this is the biggest compliment I see. It has to be coming down the pipeline… I hope :D

[@jamesjames77777]

@@nickiden I hope so too mate, but I asked 3 years ago on the UAD forum, so I asked again very recently and the UA admin responded saying “when or IF it’s implemented” - which suggests that it’s not coming, though the guy “neither confirmed or denied”. This is basically alienating anyone with hardware, which is insanity 😭😭😭

[@andrewhammondt]

@@jamesjames77777I was openly questioning Luna’s lack of hardware inserts to a friend. His response was: “you are surprised that a DAW developed by a company that is most notable for developing digital recreations of hardware is not prioritizing a way for you to NOT have to use their digital recreations of hardware?”

[@jamesjames77777]

@@andrewhammondt Well they can look forward to every single person with hardware not using their DAW 🤦‍♂️ Surely people with hardware would be more likely to use Luna because of the digital recreations and knowledge about the hardware?

[@andrewhammondt]

@@jamesjames77777 For what it’s worth, I do think UAD does a fairly good job listening to their user base and Luna will eventually be patched to include inserts. After all, some people own an actual 1176 ;)

[@ettiennelane9173]

custom shortcuts and clip fx or at least an option to use an external editor for clip processing. otherwise I won't attempt to switch...

[@nickiden]

Thanks for comment. Custom shortcuts would be amazing

[@ettiennelane9173]

@@nickiden absolutely

[@dspoet1]

No hardware inserts is a no for me.

[@nickiden]

Yeah I totally get that

[@tkelong3569]

It’ll be good some day but not tOday. Windows version is very very unstable, as betas tend to be but this is like 3rd or 4th version for updates. Not good. Eventually they’ll get out of beta stage.

[@nickiden]

I’m sure eventually the windows version will stabilize. Haha eventually

[@Pummelfay]

I have very little faith in universal audio these days tbth, which is why i would never commit to it

[@nickiden]

That’s fair

[@colindias4820]

Moving from reasson 12 to luna gradually. Doing all my stuff in it now. Getting the hang of it. I love it. .. The extensions are top notch and the feel of the the DAW ye inspires you. It's like having a virtual digital amalog console in front of you .. foe plugjns I'm using kontakt 14 std. . The shape has some great sounds though very limited. .. ❤

[@nickiden]

Thanks for the comment. I’ve really been enjoying the console a lot

[@Banoffeeee]

UAD LUNA needed feature updates 1.) ***BETTER COMPING SYSTEM (Ableton & Logic comping is great IMO / I'm also a protools user which i find it great too but not as intuitive) 2.) COMPING FOR MIDI (ableton let u comp midi too which is life-changing) 3.) MORE MIDI FEATURES (articulation set like logic will be a killer or some Ableton's midi capabilities) wish to open midi region in new floating window 4.) **FREEZE TRACK UP TO INSERT (Like Protools) 5.) FROZEN REGION DRAGABLE TO NEW TRACK AS AUDIO (So Useful when sequencing and arranging like in Ableton) 6.) **IMPORT SESSION DATA FROM TEMPLATE OR OTHER SESSION FILE would speed up a tons for workflow 7.) **MAKE INACTIVE FOR PLUGINS AND TRACKS to save the processing power (has a lot in my protools template but deactivate plugins only does not save the CPU) 8.) SSL and Neve Vision Emulation would make Luna top of the game

[@nickiden]

Yes I agree. I would love midi comping

[@Ryanthemusician]

Is there a way to use Luna while Offline? Because im not always Somewhere where i have internet

[@nickiden]

Good question. I think the daw will work but if you have the pro bundle it might not because it syncs with ilok cloud. I’ll double check and let you know

[@Pintosonic]

I’m not sure a lot of people are using the free version of Luna because all the good stuff is in the Luna PRO bundle and the other Universal Audio native plugins. Luna is really good to track a band, do the mix and mastering but if you deal with a lot of virtual or midi instruments, the midi editor is really bad.

[@nickiden]

I just started using the midi editor and I see what you mean. It’s a bit confusing when it comes to editing and I don’t know why that would be

[@chizzulwinduh1941]

It'd definitely on it''s way. The problem is that their development plan is centred mostly around the feedback button in LUNA, so unless you're a regular user, they're not going to hear what people who can't or don't use it because of the pretty big missing things. It's a closed feedback loop. The main things missing for me are hardware inserts - time compensated, ARA2 Integration and a proper grown up midi editing system like Cubase. I think many people, including myself, have given up on LUNA entirely because of these and other things. I gave up and sold my Apollo X8P's and satellites and went with RME. I am very, very happy with that choice. Saying that, they have finally just integrated Multiple Outs. They've done a good job of that, give them their due, that must be said.

[@nickiden]

Thanks so much for this :D. I hope the hardware inserts and time compensation is on its way for sure

[@beatfrombrain]

I drank some tequila, watched your video, totally zoned out while paying attention, and totally enjoyed myself

[@nickiden]

Haha that’s awesome. I think this is the best comment I ever gotten :D

[@maggsvamp]

looks like Reason

[@nickiden]

I haven’t used reason in like 20 years. But I kinda see what you mean

[@alexanderstuartpetty485]

Once you try Reaper, your search will be over.

[@nickiden]

Yeah Reapers good. I have a copy which I do like :D

[@anechoicmedia]

looks like Harrison Mixbus or Ardour...I'll stick with Ardour - UA is too pricey

[@nickiden]

Ardour is great software

[@axellau6456]

UA is not as pricey as they used to be. And their LUNA DAW is a free app.