In January of this year, Arturia said that March, 2010 was the expected release time for the Origin Keyboard; well, March and much of the year came and went, with no such unit in sight. After much anticipation, however, Arturia announced today that the Origin Keyboard is now shipping, officially and for real.

Take a look at the Origin Keyboard's main features:

• Semi-weighted 61-key keyboard with Velocity response and channel Aftertouch
• Exclusive duophonic Aftertouch
• Self-adjustable front panel, from 0° to 135°
• 5.2" TFT screen for clear visual feedback
• Easily transportable cabinet
• Ultra-sensitive 40 cm ribbon controller
• Modulation and pitch-bend wheels, 3-mode Joystick, 21 potentiometers, 33 rotary encoders, and 81 switches
• Analog audio Connectivity: 2 audio inputs,10 audio outputs
• Digital audio: S/PDIF out, USB 2.0
• Built-in expression pedal and footswitch control inputs
• Analog Devices Tiger Shark processors
• TAE engine
• Up to 32 voices of polyphony for a typical patch
• Effects: Phaser, Chorus, Delay, Distortion, Parametric EQ, Rotary, and more
• Over 600 presets created by musicians and synthesizer specialists
• Create your own patch by connecting independent modules from the Minimoog, ARP 2600, CS-80, Jupiter-8, Moog Modular, and Prophet VS

About the release Arturia's president, Frédéric Brun comments, "Origin Keyboard is based on a vision. The vision of an instrument that would proudly stand among the greatest synths of all time. Difficulties have been numerous, but we are extremely proud to start shipping Origin Keyboard."

The Origin Keyboard's designer, Axel Hartmann, continues, "Origin is a synthesizer with a strong focus on ergonomics and functionality, built inside a modern, classy housing. Besides its visual qualities, its sound is simply outstanding and competes well with some of the finest classic synthesizers that are sitting next to Origin in my collection."

And sound designer Noritaka Ubukata, who tended to the machine's voicing adds that "Designing sounds for Origin Keyboard has been a fantastic experience. It was like being a kid in a candy shop. We were free do what we had always dreamt of: mixing modules from Moog, Sequential, ARP, or Roland; adding innovative stuff such as the Galaxy module or the 2D-Envelope; [and] controlling with ribbon, joystick, and step-sequencer. In the end, the sound is so warm and pure thanks to the power of the Tigershark processors."

The Arturia Origin Keyboard is now shipping for $3,499. For more information about the Origin Keyboard, or to add yourself to the waiting list (yes, there is a waiting list for available units; see the Book My Unit page) visit originsynthesizer.com.