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 15 generations the expression "X" became this:
transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) |((transpose((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +(X+X) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((step(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,4) ,12) |shuffle(transpose((echo(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(step(((echo((X|step(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) |transpose(echo(((((X+X) |X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) |shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5)
random seed used was 11 EXPR = ((arpeggio(((transpose((((((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,12) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |((step(X,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(((shuffle(step((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((step((X|X) ,12) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,-7) |X) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((((arpeggio((X+X) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) |(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((((step(transpose(echo(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X+(X+transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(arpeggio(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,4,6) +arpeggio(X) ) |((((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) +(echo(X,4,6) |X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose((transpose(X,-5) +X) ,4) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step(echo(((shuffle(((transpose(step(step((X|X) ,12) ,12) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((step(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((step((((((X+X) |((X+X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) |((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) +echo((transpose((step(shuffle(X) ,12) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) |(shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,7) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = shuffle(transpose((arpeggio(echo(((step((arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) +(((X|X) +(X|X) ) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) +transpose(((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |((X|X) |transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ) ,12) ) |(echo((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +(((transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) |arpeggio((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4) ,-5) ,4) |transpose(shuffle((arpeggio(transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(((arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +(X+X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |(X+transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) |(transpose(X,-7) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = ((((transpose((((shuffle((echo(step((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) ,12) ,4,6) +arpeggio((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) |(step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose((((X|X) |X) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) +shuffle(echo((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(((arpeggio(((X+echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |((X|X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle((echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) +echo(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) ) +(echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4,6) |(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |X) |transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(step((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) |transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(step(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X|(X|X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((echo((echo(((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(echo((((((((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) |X) +transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) +echo(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) +transpose((transpose((X|(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) |(transpose(X,-5) +X) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((shuffle((transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +(X+echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((echo(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose((step(step(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,12) ,12) +arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,-7) +(((transpose(X,4) |(X|X) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((step(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(step(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) +((((transpose((((transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,7) ) +arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ,4) +transpose((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(echo(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) |step(step(transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,-7) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(((((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +(((X|shuffle(X) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +echo(((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((((((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |(X|(X|X) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +arpeggio((X+X) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) )
random seed used was 0

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