Tune Toys : Expresso

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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.

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After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:

(((transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(shuffle((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) +echo(((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +(transpose(X,4) |X) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((step(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(X,-5) |(X+X) ) ,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((echo(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,4,6) |arpeggio(transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) |((transpose(transpose(step(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,7) ) |step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+(step((X|X) ,12) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ,-7) ,4) |transpose(arpeggio((transpose((((((shuffle((X+X) ) +transpose(((X|X) |X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) |step(step(X,12) ,12) ) +shuffle(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) |X) ,-7) ,-7) ) ) ,4) +(transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) +(transpose(X,-5) +(X+X) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(transpose((((((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ,-7) +((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |(arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((step(step(X,12) ,12) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(((transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,-7) ) +(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose(((X+transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) +step(step(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(step((((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) ,-5) |((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,-5) +((echo((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo((transpose(X,-5) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) |(((transpose(((X|X) +transpose(shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) +((transpose(((X|arpeggio(X) ) +(arpeggio(X) +X) ) ,-7) +transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((step(X,12) +X) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ) +(echo((step((X+((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,12) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-7) ) +step((echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4,6) |(X|X) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) |((transpose(step(step(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) |(arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio((step((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(((shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,12) ,-5) ,4) ,4) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) +(arpeggio(shuffle((X|X) ) ) +((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((X|X) ,4) +step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(echo(arpeggio((transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +shuffle(X) ) |(X|X) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(echo((transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((shuffle(X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) ,-7) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((step(echo((transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose((X+echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,4) ) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +step(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step((((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,12) |(transpose(transpose(transpose((echo(transpose(((shuffle(arpeggio(echo(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose((shuffle(((shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) |transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) |X) +step(X,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) +((X|X) |(transpose(X,-5) +(X+X) ) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose(shuffle(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4) |step((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) +((transpose(echo(transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) +(((transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose((((X+X) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) |(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,4) +transpose((echo((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(shuffle(((transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) +((X+X) |X) ) ) ,4) ,-7) +(transpose(((step(X,12) |transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((step((X|X) ,12) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +(((step((shuffle(X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(((X+(X|(X+X) ) ) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ) ) +transpose((echo((transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,-7) +shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) ) ,4,6) |((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,4) ) |arpeggio(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) +(step(X,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose(((transpose(echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(((X|arpeggio(X) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) |(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose((transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) |echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ,-5) +((echo(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,-7) +X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +(transpose(X,4) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo((step(X,12) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(shuffle((X+X) ) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((((transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ,12) ) |shuffle((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(((((X|X) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) |transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) |(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(arpeggio((transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose((transpose(((transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) +step(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) +((((shuffle(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) +step(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ) |shuffle(shuffle(transpose((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ) ) ) +echo((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(((X+X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) |transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose((echo((transpose(step(step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,12) ,12) ,-7) |(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ) ,4,6) |(shuffle(transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,4) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(X+transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,-7) ) |echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((((transpose(X,-5) |X) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) |X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) )
random seed used was 3621122

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