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 16 generations the expression "X" became this:
(((arpeggio((arpeggio((((arpeggio(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(step(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,-7) |shuffle((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) |(((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |((X|X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(transpose((((arpeggio(X) |shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) +(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) |(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) +transpose((((shuffle(X) |X) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(((X+transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((echo(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4) ) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(((shuffle((step(arpeggio(((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(step(transpose((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose((step(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(step(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +shuffle((shuffle(transpose(step(((transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+X) +echo((echo(X,4,6) |step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |(transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) +echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(X+X) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(((arpeggio((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) |transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) +echo(echo(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |(X+X) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) |((step(echo((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((arpeggio((step(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) +shuffle((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) )
random seed used was 1 EXPR = step((step(((((shuffle(transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(((transpose((((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |step(echo(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) +step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +((((arpeggio(echo(step((X|X) ,12) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) |step((echo((X|(X+X) ) ,4,6) |((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(step(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) +(((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(step(echo((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio((((shuffle(X) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(((X|X) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(echo((step(((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(step((((X|X) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((((((((shuffle((arpeggio(X) +step(X,12) ) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) +step(shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((step(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) |shuffle(X) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) +((X|X) |(((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(step(shuffle((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) +shuffle((((step((transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,-7) +step(((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) +((arpeggio(X) |X) +step(shuffle(shuffle(((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) ) +step((echo(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(echo((echo(X,4,6) |step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) +step(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,-5) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,12)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = transpose((((transpose(((transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) |shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |arpeggio(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(echo((arpeggio(((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +transpose((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) |transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +echo((((step(arpeggio((((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) |transpose((((shuffle(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(((shuffle(X) +echo(X,4,6) ) +(X|X) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio((X|shuffle(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ) |((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose((((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) |X) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X|arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) |((((shuffle(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) +((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) +echo((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-7)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = transpose((echo(((((transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(step(arpeggio(step(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(arpeggio(X) +X) ) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(arpeggio((arpeggio(X) |(X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(((shuffle(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ) +transpose(((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |shuffle(X) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) |(((((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |X) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step(echo((((step((shuffle((X+X) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,12) +step(transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +((echo(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |step(X,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) |transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,-5) ) +shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((echo((echo(transpose(arpeggio(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) |transpose((((((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) |shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(((((X+transpose(transpose((X+step(X,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) |((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4)
random seed used was 0

NOTE: Generated phrase was too large ( 15180 ) , it has been truncated at 5000 notes.


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