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 14 generations the expression "X" became this:
transpose((shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +X) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(((shuffle(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,4,6) |(transpose(X,4) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |((transpose(X,-7) |X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) ) ) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose((arpeggio(shuffle((X|X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(step(((X+X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5)
random seed used was 4 EXPR = ((transpose(((((echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) |echo(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) |((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) |transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) |transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((step(((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) ,-7) |((((transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose(((X+X) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(step((transpose(X,-7) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((X|X) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) ,-5) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +((transpose(X,-7) +(X|X) ) +X) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-5) ) +transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) |echo((X+arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose((((((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(step(((transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,-7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((step((((X+X) |transpose(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) |((shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,12) ) +(arpeggio(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) |(((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,12) |((transpose(X,4) +((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) |((echo((step((((step((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,7) ) |(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +step(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +(((transpose((X+((X|transpose(X,-7) ) |transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(((step(arpeggio((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) +(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) |(transpose((X+(step(X,12) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) |(transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose(((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose((((transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(echo((transpose(transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) +shuffle(X) ) ) ,7) ) +(step(echo(transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose((((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(((X|X) +((X|X) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = (((transpose(((transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) +((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) |step(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ) |arpeggio(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(((step(transpose(arpeggio((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,12) |echo(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +X) +transpose((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +(X+X) ) ,-7) |shuffle(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) +step(echo((transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +(X+X) ) ,-5) +transpose(((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) |(arpeggio(((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((X|X) +((X+X) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,-5) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = ((((((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +((X|arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) |((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X+(X+X) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,-5) |transpose(echo(step(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,-5) ) |shuffle(((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) |((transpose((X|X) ,-5) |(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose((echo((arpeggio(shuffle(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ) ) +((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(echo((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) +(transpose((((((X|transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) |transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) |(((transpose(X,-7) |(X|X) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(((transpose((X|step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |transpose((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) |((((step(((echo((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) |transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(shuffle(((((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +(X+X) ) +transpose((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) |(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) |((((transpose(X,-5) +X) |(X+X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose((((X|X) +(X+X) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((X|arpeggio(X) ) |(X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,-5) |transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose(step((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) |(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((echo(((((transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |shuffle(X) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X|X) +(echo(X,4,6) |X) ) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X|X) +(X+X) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +(transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) |(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) |transpose(X,-7) ) |((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose((step(X,12) |X) ,12) ) |((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) |(step(transpose(transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,-7) ,12) +transpose((transpose((shuffle((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo(step((echo(X,4,6) |shuffle((X+X) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((step(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,-7) ,12) |(transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose((arpeggio(echo(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-7) ,4,6) ) |(((echo(transpose((transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,4) |(((shuffle(X) |transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +(transpose(X,4) |X) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) |arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(transpose(((X+X) +(X+X) ) ,4) |(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) |(X|transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(((((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(((step(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,12) +step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,-5) )
random seed used was 0

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