Neutral Labs Luna: patchable Lunetta Synthesizer dives deep into CMOS logics

Neutral Labs Luna revives Stanley Lunetta’s CMOS logic-based concepts in a new, patchable, playful experimental Lunetta Synthesizer.

Digital technology is perceived as perfect, clean, and predictable. This wasn’t always the case. To understand this, you have to go back to the early days when digital technology was still raw, fragile and as vibrant as organic life.

In electronic music, developers experimented with CMOS logic chips in the 70s and 80s. One of the most famous was Stanley Lunetta, not only a legendary percussionist but also a Synthesizer builder.

Neutral Labs has released Luna, a new semi-modular experimental Synthesizer that pays tribute to the Lunetta machines and to Stanley Lunetta’s work.

Neutral Labs Luna

To some, Luna might look like a giant multiple at first glance. Don’t be fooled, it isn’t. Neutral Luna features five oscillators combined with a chaotic array of logic blocks, including XOR, AND, shift registers, counters, and multiplexers.

Luna is like the children’s game Operation, but for adult experimental musicians. You don’t just turn all sorts of knobs, you can actually repatch the brain of the synth itself.

For this, it features exposed CMOS inputs and outputs right in the front panel, each with a distinct function. First, you can work with six logic gates, including 2 XOR, 2 NOT, and 2 AND.

Then it goes deeper, with five logic blocks that provide a 5-step ring counter, a 4-bit binary counter, two shift registers, and a 4-channel multiplexer. Additionally, you have three touchpads that infuse even more logic signal fun.

Make It Musical

By re-patching, combining, and bending these logic blocks, you can create all kinds of noisescapes and wild experimentations. Neutral Labs describes them as sounds that shouldn’t exist.

But to make it musical, there’s another level that intervenes into this CMOS logic-based party. Luna features three organic low-pass gates through it feeds its digital soul. 

Each low-pass gate has an adjustable decay, a switchable trigger mode, gain control, and tilt EQ, giving you different ways to manipulate audio. More importantly, these are elements that turn chaotic mathematics into bongos, plucks, and thumping basslines.

To refine, polish, or even take your sounds to different sonic directions, Neutral Labs Luna also features a 2-slot multi-FX that runs in serial. 

There are 13 audio effects to choose from, including: drive, delay, reverb, bit-crusher, six filter types, comb filter, and more. On top, they are CV controllable and have two oscillators. Visual feedback over them gives a little display.

Connectivity 

If the rhythmic possibilities of the logic blocks network aren’t enough for you, there are also two sequencers, each with up to 64 steps that are syncable to the built-in clock and MIDI. Yes, this experimental synth is partially MIDI controllerable.

You can MIDI control the two oscillators, all three low-pass gates, and three logic outputs. 

Among the pool of Logic inputs and outputs, there’s also traditional connectivity. You can find a main audio output that also handles headphone duties with a dedicated volume knob.

Like the previous Neutral Labs (Elmyra 2, Scrooge), Luna is also available as a desktop synth or as a 42HP Eurorack module. Take the desktop synth, and you have both.

First Impression