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:
(((((transpose(transpose(shuffle(((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +((step((X+X) ,12) +((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) +(arpeggio(((X|X) |X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ) |echo((((step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) +((X|X) +X) ) |((((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((echo(((shuffle(transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +shuffle(X) ) |step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(((step(X,12) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) +shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) |transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) |(echo(transpose(transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) |transpose(((X+X) |transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+X) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) |X) ,4) ) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo((transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,4) +(((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(((((((echo((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(step((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +X) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose((echo((transpose(X,-5) +X) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) |(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,4) +shuffle(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) ) |((((X+X) +X) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(((X|X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) |transpose(((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +((transpose(((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(step((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |transpose(X,4) ) |(arpeggio(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) |echo((shuffle(X) |X) ,4,6) ) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(echo(echo(transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) |arpeggio(((transpose(shuffle(transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) +(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +(arpeggio(X) |shuffle(X) ) ) ,4) |transpose(transpose(((X|X) +X) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) +transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +(X+X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) +arpeggio(shuffle((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) |((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio((((transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose((shuffle((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) |X) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) +(((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +arpeggio(X) ) |arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(shuffle(((transpose(X,-7) |arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) |(((X|X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +step(X,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose((((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,4) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X|X) ) |(shuffle(X) |(X|X) ) ) +(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) +(arpeggio(((X|X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-5) ,-5) ) |(((arpeggio(((transpose((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) |((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((((echo(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) ,7) ) +step(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(shuffle((arpeggio(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-5) +(transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(((((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) |((X+X) +arpeggio(X) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) |shuffle(transpose((((((X|X) +(X|X) ) +transpose(((X+X) +X) ,12) ) |((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +(X|X) ) ,12) ) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +(X+X) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(step(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +step(((X+X) |arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((step((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-7) |(((shuffle(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,-5) ) +echo((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4) |((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) +shuffle(X) ) ) ,4,6) ) +(shuffle(X) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ,-7) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |((transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(((step(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +step((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) |((transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+X) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +echo(step(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo((step((((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(((((X+transpose(step(((transpose(X,-5) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose((step(transpose((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +transpose((((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) |transpose((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |((X+(X+X) ) |X) ) +transpose(((X+X) +X) ,-7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((((X+X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose((((arpeggio((transpose((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X|X) ) |arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) |transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) +shuffle(((transpose(transpose((X+transpose((echo(X,4,6) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(echo(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+((X+X) +step(X,12) ) ) ) +arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) |(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) |(arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(((((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) +(((X|X) +((step((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,12) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) |echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) +arpeggio(transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ) +transpose(((((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose((shuffle((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) |transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) |shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((arpeggio((step(X,12) +(((shuffle(X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) )
random seed used was 108570020

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