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 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
shuffle(((transpose(arpeggio((((transpose((echo(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4,6) +echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ,-7) |transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) ) |transpose(echo(((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) +transpose((transpose((((((transpose(X,4) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) |(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((arpeggio(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +((X|X) +X) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X|X) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) |((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) |transpose(X,-5) ) |transpose(step((shuffle(X) |(X+X) ) ,12) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +(transpose(transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) |(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ) |(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ) |arpeggio((X|X) ) ) +echo(arpeggio(((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) |echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((shuffle(X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) |step((X+((transpose(X,4) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((((step(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ,12) +transpose(((arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(step((transpose(((step(X,12) |transpose(X,-7) ) +(transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(((shuffle((arpeggio(X) |X) ) +transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ,4) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(echo((arpeggio(X) +X) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,-5) |(echo(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose((echo((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) |((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) |((X+X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(arpeggio((shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose((((X+X) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) |transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,4) ) ,-7) +shuffle((transpose((transpose((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) |(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) +((shuffle(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((((step(((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) |arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +((X|X) |X) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,4) ,7) ) +(((shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X|(X+X) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose(((X+transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((echo(X,4,6) +(X+X) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((step(((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(((echo(((X|X) |shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) |transpose(step((((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) |((echo(arpeggio(step(((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +echo(((transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +(X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) |transpose((step(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) |((transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) |((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) +shuffle(echo(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ) ) ,4) ) ) ,-7) +echo(transpose(shuffle(transpose(arpeggio(((X|X) +X) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((shuffle(echo((((transpose(((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose((((transpose((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(step(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,12) ,7) ) ,-5) |shuffle((X+(transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) |arpeggio(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((((transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(X|X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,-5) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +(transpose((step(X,12) +X) ,4) +(arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ) |((step((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +((((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,4) +step(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose((((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose((echo((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) +arpeggio((shuffle(X) |arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) |echo(X,4,6) ) +(echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step((((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) |transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-5) ) |(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +(transpose((((step(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) |step(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) |(arpeggio((transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ,4) +(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((((X+X) +arpeggio(X) ) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step(arpeggio(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +(shuffle((transpose((arpeggio(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,-5) +arpeggio(transpose(step(((X+X) |(X|X) ) ,12) ,4) ) ) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(echo(transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(echo((((step(shuffle(transpose((X+(X|X) ) ,-5) ) ,12) +transpose((((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +step(transpose(((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-5) |(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,7) ) )
random seed used was 249444334

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