Home : Tune Toys : Expresso 
  Expresso takes a simple musical expression (literally "X") and mutates it. In each generation, transformations are applied to components of the expression. This is a fractal technique known as an L-system. The more generations there are, the larger and more complex the expression gets (and the longer it can take to compute). The output varies wildly, from boring to fascinating. Press "Mutate" a few times till you get something that looks interesting, then click on the image to play it. See Composer's Quarry for examples of output.

Transformations:
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After 16 generations the expression "X" became this:
step(echo(step(transpose(echo((transpose(echo(((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) |(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +step((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((X|X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,12) ,4,6) ,12)
random seed used was 1 EXPR = transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(arpeggio(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(((((X+X) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) |shuffle(X) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((transpose((transpose(shuffle(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(step(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ,-7) |transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) +((echo(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +((arpeggio((((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step((transpose(X,-7) |(X+X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +echo((transpose(X,-7) +((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,4) +transpose((step(transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,4) ,12) |arpeggio(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(echo((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-7) |((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ) +transpose((((arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((echo((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) |(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((step(transpose((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) |arpeggio(X) ) |((arpeggio((X+X) ) +transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +(X|((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +(X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +echo(shuffle(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = ((transpose(shuffle(transpose((transpose((step(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((((arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(step(echo(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) |arpeggio((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) +transpose((((step((transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(echo(arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) |echo(((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(echo((step(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,12) +transpose(step(transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(((transpose((step(X,12) +step(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step((shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,-7) |(((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |((X|X) +transpose(step(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle((arpeggio(X) +(X|X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((transpose(transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo((((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,12) ) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(shuffle((((X|X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose((transpose(shuffle((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(shuffle(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) |step(step(((((((((((X|transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +arpeggio((shuffle(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-5) ) ) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo((transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((echo(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4,6) +((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((echo(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((((X+(X+X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(step((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) +transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(echo(shuffle(arpeggio(arpeggio((shuffle(X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,12) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = step((((step((transpose((shuffle(echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) +shuffle(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ) ,-5) +((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) ) +transpose((shuffle((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) +transpose(step(shuffle((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,-7) ) +((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(echo(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(step((((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) +((arpeggio(step(echo(shuffle(echo(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +(((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose(step(transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(((((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(step(((X|X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(echo(((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,-7) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) |transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |shuffle(X) ) +transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+X) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12)
random seed used was 0

The algorithm for Expresso is written in KeyKit, and here's the source code.