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:
Randomize seed:
Generations:
Phrase for X:
# of Tracks:
Randomize patches:
 

Results may not appear for a few seconds.
Be patient!
Do you like this result? Do you want to let other people listen to it?

Save this one in the
Tune Trove!


See what's already
in the Tune Trove!

After 18 generations the expression "X" became this:
((((transpose((shuffle(transpose(transpose(((((transpose(X,4) |X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +(((X+step(X,12) ) +((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) |step(X,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +((shuffle((X+X) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) |(echo((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) +arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ) ,4,6) +arpeggio(transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,4) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(((((step((((shuffle(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,12) +transpose(((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) |((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ) +shuffle((X|(X|X) ) ) ) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,7) ) |transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((X+X) ) ) ,4) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) +echo(transpose(((X|X) +(X+X) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ) |((transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((X|echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((echo(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ,4,6) +((((arpeggio(X) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) |step(X,12) ) ) ) |transpose(((step(X,12) |transpose(X,4) ) |shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +(((step((step(X,12) |arpeggio(X) ) ,12) |step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) |((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) +((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) |X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) +(echo((transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |(step((transpose((X|X) ,-5) |X) ,12) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +(X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) |step(((step(((transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) |transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) |transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ) ,12) |arpeggio((((transpose(echo((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose((step(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) |step(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose((X|X) ,4) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ) +arpeggio(transpose((((shuffle(X) |X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((shuffle(arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(((((step(echo(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) +((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) |transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ) |(step(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +step(((echo(X,4,6) |arpeggio(X) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(echo((X+(X|arpeggio(X) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) |transpose(arpeggio((((((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) +((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +(X+X) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) |transpose(echo(step(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ) +shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,4) +(transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) +echo(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +step(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,-7) |transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((shuffle((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(step((((X+X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) |transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) |(((transpose(echo(shuffle(((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) |(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) +step((((shuffle((X+X) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +(((transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,12) ) +(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((((arpeggio(X) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) |transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) |transpose(((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) |transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) |transpose((((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose((((X+X) +X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,7) ) |(transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((((((X|X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(((arpeggio(((transpose(step(echo(shuffle((X|shuffle((X|X) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) +((X+arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) |X) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +arpeggio((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((echo(shuffle(step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((step(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,12) +transpose(((X+transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4,6) +(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +(((shuffle((X|arpeggio(X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle((X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) |transpose(step(step(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(transpose(echo(shuffle((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) |transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,-7) ) ) ,12) ,12) ,-7) )
random seed used was 40534752

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