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 19 generations the expression "X" became this:
(((((shuffle(transpose(step(transpose((transpose((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) +(step((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) |transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((((echo(echo(transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4,6) |transpose(((transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X|X) |X) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(step(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,12) ,7) ) +echo(shuffle((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose((shuffle(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(echo((X|(X+X) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +echo((transpose((((X+X) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) |(transpose(X,-5) +step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(shuffle(transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) +arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) |(((((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,12) ) +(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ) |(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) |echo((transpose(X,4) |X) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(((shuffle(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) |(((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((step((transpose(X,-7) +(transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,12) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,-7) |step((((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step((shuffle(echo((transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+X) |X) ,7) ) ,-7) |(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X|X) ) ,-7) ) ) ,4,6) ) +shuffle((transpose(X,-7) +(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((X|X) +X) ,-7) ) ) ) ) ,12) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) |(X|X) ) ,12) ) ,-5) |transpose(step(((step(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) |shuffle(arpeggio((echo((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose((step((((X|X) |X) |transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,12) |((X|X) +transpose(((X|X) |X) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +(((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) |X) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) |((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |(X|X) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,12) ) |(shuffle(arpeggio((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) |(echo((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) ) ) ) ) |((step(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) ,12) +(echo(shuffle(transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(echo(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) |(transpose(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,-5) ) |(shuffle(X) |X) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-5) |((echo((shuffle(X) |X) ,4,6) +(((echo((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) |X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) |transpose(transpose((((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) |X) +arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(((((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) +((shuffle(X) +transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) +(step(X,12) +(X|X) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,-7) ,-5) ) +(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +shuffle((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) +echo(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) |(transpose(transpose(transpose((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,-5) |shuffle(X) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(arpeggio((step(X,12) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) +step(shuffle(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((((transpose((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +shuffle((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) |transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ) +((arpeggio((X|X) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ,-5) ) |transpose(shuffle((transpose(step(((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,-5) +transpose((shuffle(((((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) |(step(X,12) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((((transpose(((arpeggio(X) +(X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(((((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((X|(X|X) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +step(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +(((transpose((X|X) ,-5) |(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(echo((echo(X,4,6) +arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(((arpeggio((X|X) ) |X) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +(((transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +((X|X) +X) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +(transpose(X,-7) +(X+X) ) ) ) ,-7) +(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +(X|echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,7) ) ,-5) |transpose(arpeggio((transpose((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) ) ,-7) ) ) +(arpeggio(((transpose(shuffle(shuffle((X+X) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((step(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose((step(X,12) |(X+(X+X) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((arpeggio((arpeggio(X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ) +echo(step(((((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ) |(echo(((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4,6) +((((((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(echo(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |transpose((step(X,12) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,-5) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(((transpose((X+X) ,4) |step(X,12) ) +arpeggio((X|(X+X) ) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) +(transpose(transpose((X|(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,4,6) +(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) |(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) +((arpeggio(X) +(step((X+X) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,-7) ) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) )
random seed used was 104812414

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