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:
Seed:
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Phrase for X:
# of Tracks:
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After 16 generations the expression "X" became this:
shuffle((shuffle((((step(((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) +transpose(transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +echo(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) +transpose((((X|step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +(arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(echo((step((((((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) |step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,-7) +(X|transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo(((transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,4) +(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,-5) |(transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) +(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) +(((transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,-7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) +((echo((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) |transpose(arpeggio((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(shuffle((((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ,-7) +step(transpose((X+transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(step(X,12) ) |shuffle(((X+X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,4) |(shuffle(X) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) )
random seed used was 10 EXPR = arpeggio(transpose(transpose(echo(((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +(transpose(X,-7) |(X+X) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) |((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-5) |step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +step(X,12) ) ,12) ) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,-5) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = echo(transpose(transpose(transpose((echo((transpose(shuffle(transpose(step(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ,12) ,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-7) |transpose(((transpose((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) |transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) |((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) |step(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) ,4,6)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = ((((shuffle((echo((((transpose(step(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) |(((echo(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) |(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +(X+X) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+step(X,12) ) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +step(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((((echo(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4,6) |((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) +step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |(X|transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ) +((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(echo((transpose(X,-5) +(X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((echo((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4,6) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+(X|X) ) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(echo(transpose(step((((arpeggio(step((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) |X) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(echo(step((X|X) ,12) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ,-5) ,4,6) ,12) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(((step(arpeggio(transpose(((((step(echo((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(transpose(echo((step(X,12) |step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((step(((echo(((X|X) +X) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) |transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +(transpose((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(((echo((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) +transpose(step(((X+X) +X) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(step((transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) |(((((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X+X) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) +arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ) |(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,-5) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+X) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+X) |X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |(((echo(X,4,6) +X) |(echo(X,4,6) |arpeggio(X) ) ) |(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ) ) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) +((transpose(transpose(((transpose((arpeggio(((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose((((transpose(X,4) |X) +transpose(transpose((X+(X|X) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +(((((transpose(X,-7) |(transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(((((X|X) |(X+transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(shuffle(X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) |echo((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,-7) |((arpeggio(X) |X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(step(((((((echo((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ,4) |transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) +(((shuffle(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step((transpose(arpeggio(((X+X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) |((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((((((transpose(X,-5) +(step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) +(transpose(X,4) |X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +step((transpose((X+transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) +(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +(transpose((((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(((((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) +(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(((X|X) |(transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) |(step(transpose(shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,12) +transpose((((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) |(X+X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) +((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) +(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |(transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((shuffle(transpose((X+transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +(((((step(X,12) +(X+X) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |(X|X) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) +(((((transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) |transpose((transpose(X,4) +step(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((((((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) |(X+X) ) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(step((shuffle(X) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) |(transpose(X,4) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(step(shuffle((echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4,6) +((shuffle((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+X) |X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((((((((((X+X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) |transpose(((shuffle((X+X) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) +(((X|transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(X|X) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |((((X|X) |X) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) ) |((step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) +arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((((X+(step(X,12) |X) ) +step(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X+(X|X) ) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) |transpose(shuffle(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ) ,4) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |((shuffle((X+X) ) |(transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) |(X|arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(step(transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((arpeggio((X|arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) +((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +((X+X) |X) ) |(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,4) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ) +echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) )
random seed used was 0

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