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

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After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
echo((transpose(transpose(step(transpose((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(((step(((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) +transpose((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +step(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ,4) ,-5) |(transpose((shuffle(step((((((((X|X) |X) +transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +X) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |((X|X) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) |((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) +((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ) +arpeggio(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) |(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) |transpose(((((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) |transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ) ,4) +(echo(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) |transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ) |(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,-5) +(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,-7) +(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7) ,12) ) +arpeggio((echo((((((shuffle((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((X|X) +shuffle((transpose(X,4) |X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +((X|X) |(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ) +(arpeggio(X) |(echo((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) |shuffle((transpose((X+X) ,4) +(arpeggio(X) +shuffle(X) ) ) ) ) ) ) +(((arpeggio(transpose((shuffle(X) +X) ,-5) ) |step(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) |((shuffle((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) |transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) +(((transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +shuffle(X) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((((((X+X) +(X|X) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,12) ) |echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ,4) +((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |X) +X) +(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4) +transpose(((((((((((transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) |(X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +((transpose(X,-7) +echo((X+X) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ) +((((arpeggio((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) |transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ) +step(transpose(echo(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) |((step(((shuffle(X) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) +(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) |(((((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) +X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose((X+shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) +shuffle((transpose(transpose(transpose(step(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) +(transpose((shuffle(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) |transpose(((shuffle(((transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(step(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((transpose((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) |((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +((X|X) +step(X,12) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) |transpose(((((transpose((X+X) ,-7) |(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +(transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) |(X|X) ) ,-7) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) |(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) |((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X+X) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) |X) +transpose(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose((arpeggio(X) +X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) +((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle((((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,12) ) |(echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,4,6) +((((X+X) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(step(((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(step(((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,12) ) |transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +step((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(echo((((transpose(X,4) +X) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +transpose((X|shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) |(arpeggio(echo((((step((transpose(X,4) |transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,12) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) |((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) +transpose((echo((((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,-5) ) |(X+X) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) |(transpose(X,4) |shuffle(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose((step((X+X) ,12) |((X|transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,4,6) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6)
random seed used was 136097868

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