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:
(transpose(((shuffle(shuffle((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose((transpose((((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +(X+X) ) ,-5) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +arpeggio((transpose(((X|X) |shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio((((transpose(((((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +step(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) |(X|transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) |transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) ) |step(arpeggio(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X+transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) |transpose(echo((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) +(transpose(step(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,-5) )
random seed used was 209388249 EXPR = echo(((transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(transpose((((shuffle(((X+X) |transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) |(transpose(X,-5) +transpose((step(X,12) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) |arpeggio((transpose(((((transpose(((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose((X+echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,12) |((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(((shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ) |((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) |(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) |(transpose(transpose(((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,4) |transpose((transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,4) +transpose(echo((((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +step(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(echo((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(((step(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,12) |((transpose(X,4) +((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) |((((X|X) |transpose(X,4) ) |(X+shuffle(X) ) ) |((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) ) |arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) ) |(shuffle((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) |transpose((((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +(shuffle(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +((((X|X) |(X+X) ) +(transpose(X,-5) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) ,4,6)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = (transpose(transpose((((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) ,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) +(transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,4) +(X+X) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((((shuffle(X) +X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,4) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) |(transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(transpose(((((transpose(X,-5) |X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(((transpose(step((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((((((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +(shuffle((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) |transpose((shuffle((X+X) ) |echo(shuffle(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ) |(transpose((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +((transpose(((arpeggio(X) +X) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((step(step(X,12) ,12) +((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(((echo(step(echo(((transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) |echo((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(shuffle(X) +arpeggio(X) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) |transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((((transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) |arpeggio((transpose((step(X,12) |X) ,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose((step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(step((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(((((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = transpose(shuffle(transpose(echo(((((transpose(((arpeggio(X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) +((step(X,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) |arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ) ) ,-5) |((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X|X) ) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) |(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) |((transpose(X,-7) |(X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(transpose(echo((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) +transpose(((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) |(X|X) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +((shuffle(echo((transpose((X|X) ,4) +echo(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ) +echo((((((X|X) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,-7) ) |transpose((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(echo((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,4,6) ,7) ) +((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,12) ) ) |step(((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +X) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) ,4)
random seed used was 0

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