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:
transpose(((echo(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(((((X|X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |(((shuffle(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) |step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo((((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(((X|X) +transpose((step((X+X) ,12) +(shuffle(X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose(step(((transpose((echo(((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,-7) ) |echo((X+transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((((((transpose(X,-7) |echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) +transpose(echo((((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(((arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((step((transpose((shuffle(X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) |step((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) |(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(((transpose((transpose(((arpeggio(X) |step(X,12) ) |echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) +(X+X) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) +transpose(((arpeggio((X|X) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-7) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((shuffle(X) +((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(((((transpose(transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,4) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((echo(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,-5) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(((shuffle(transpose((transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) +(((shuffle(X) |((X+X) +(X|X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) |((transpose(shuffle((X+(X|X) ) ) ,-7) +(shuffle(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) |(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ) ) |transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ) ) ,-5) +((echo(transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose((((shuffle((X|X) ) +(X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((X|transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,-5) ) |((transpose(X,4) |X) |((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +X) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +step((X|X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(((((transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +X) ,4) ,4) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) |(transpose(echo(step((X+X) ,12) ,4,6) ,-7) |transpose(((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,-7) ) |transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+X) +(X|X) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +(transpose(X,-7) +echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) +(echo(transpose(echo((transpose(((X+X) +step(X,12) ) ,4) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4,6) +((((transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |(X|transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(echo(((X+X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ) +(transpose(shuffle((step(X,12) +X) ) ,4) |(transpose(X,-7) +(step(X,12) +(X+X) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) +((((X+X) +X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4) |((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) |transpose(X,4) ) |((((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +(X|transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ) ) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((((transpose((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +shuffle((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo(transpose((shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +X) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) |echo(transpose(shuffle((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +arpeggio(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) |((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose((step(echo((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) |(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +((echo(X,4,6) |X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) |(X+transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(transpose(X,4) +X) ) +((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) |shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((echo(echo((transpose(X,4) |X) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(step(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) |((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) |echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,4)
random seed used was 246417945

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