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 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
(((transpose((((transpose((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((((X+X) |X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) +step(shuffle(shuffle((X|shuffle(X) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(X+(X|X) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +step(echo(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +(((((((arpeggio(transpose((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((((arpeggio(X) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) |transpose((shuffle(X) +arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((step(echo((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(step(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(shuffle((X|X) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(((((transpose(shuffle((X|(X|X) ) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((step(X,12) +X) ,-5) |arpeggio((X+X) ) ) ,7) ) |((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,4) ) ,4,6) |(((step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |X) ,12) ) |((((X+transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +(X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) |echo(((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +X) +(X+X) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(((((X+X) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(((echo(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +(echo((X+X) ,4,6) |(X|transpose(X,4) ) ) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(((step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) |echo(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +((X+X) |transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ) ) +step(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +(echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) |arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) |(((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) |shuffle(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) +(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) |transpose((echo(shuffle(((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ) +(((echo(((((shuffle((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) |transpose(((step(((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X|X) |(echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((((((X+X) |(X|X) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,4) |X) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((X|X) |transpose(X,4) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose((transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) |echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,4) +step((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) |((transpose(step((shuffle((transpose(X,4) |(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) |step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,-5) +transpose(((((((transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,4) |transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) |step(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) +(arpeggio(X) |X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((shuffle(step(((X+X) |shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) +echo(transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(((step((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) |((transpose(X,-7) +X) |arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(((((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose((shuffle(X) |(step(X,12) |X) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+X) +X) |X) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((echo((X|X) ,4,6) |transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(arpeggio((((X|X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((echo(((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ,-7) +(transpose(((((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) +transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4,6) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +(transpose(transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(((step((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) +((X|X) +(step(X,12) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +((transpose(transpose((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +((((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) |transpose((arpeggio((X+X) ) |X) ,-7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +X) +step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,4) ,-7) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(((transpose(step((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose(((((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) ) +transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((((X|X) |X) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,7) ) |(arpeggio(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ) +transpose((((((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) +transpose((X|((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((arpeggio((((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) +step(echo(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose((transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) |step(transpose(echo(((X|((X|(X+X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) |((shuffle((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) |(transpose((transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) +step((((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) |step(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((echo((X|X) ,4,6) +transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|(echo(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) +(transpose(arpeggio(((((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((((step(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,12) |transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,4) ) |(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,-7) ,-7) |step(transpose(((X+transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) |((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) |transpose((transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) +((transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) |step(echo(((transpose(((((((shuffle(X) |(X|X) ) +(((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,12) ) +(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((step(X,12) +(X+transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose(step((transpose(X,4) |((step(transpose((X+arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,-7) +X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,-7) ) |((transpose(transpose((X+transpose((((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) +transpose(step(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) )
random seed used was 244272491

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