Arturia has announced that Origin Keyboard is now shipping.

The Origin project started in 2004 and was aimed at creating a new kind of synthesizer. Ambitious from a features stand-point, innovative in design and sounding like no other digital synthesizer on the market- the Origin concept was bold. The project proved tough. But a first step was completed when, in 2008, Arturia debuted Origin Desktop. With the delivery of Origin Keyboard, the cycle is coming to an end.

"Origin Keyboard is based on a vision. The vision of an instrument that would proudly stand among the greatest synths of all time" says Frédéric Brun, President of Arturia. "Difficulties have been numerous, but we are extremely proud to start shipping Origin Keyboard. This is an instrument breaking new boundaries by mixing the latest technologies and the grand tradition of quality and innovation in sound synthesis."

Origin's unique design was created by world-renowned designer Axel Hartmann: "Origin is a synthesizer with a strong focus on ergonomics and functionality, built inside a modern, classy housing says Hartmann. 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."

Sound Designer Noritaka Ubukata, who looked after the machine's voicing adds: "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; controlling with Ribbon, joystick and step-sequencer,... And in the end, the sound is so warm and pure thanks to the power of the Tigershark processors. I could talk about it for hours."

MSRP is $3499 / €2990.

More information is available at www.originsynthesizer.com