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:
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# of Tracks:
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After 17 generations the expression "X" became this:
(arpeggio(((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,4) ) ,4) +transpose((arpeggio((echo((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |transpose(transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ) ,4,6) |shuffle(X) ) ) |transpose(arpeggio(((step(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ) |transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) |(transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((arpeggio(echo((shuffle(((transpose(X,-7) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,12) ) ) |(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) +(step((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,12) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-7) ,-5) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,4) |transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) |transpose(((X+transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(step((arpeggio((((transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((((((step(X,12) |X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) |shuffle((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +(transpose(X,-7) |X) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(step(((((transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((X|step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +X) ,7) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) |step(X,12) ) |step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) |echo((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,4,6) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +(transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,4) +(((((X+X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +(X+((shuffle(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(step(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,-7) +X) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(echo(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ,4,6) ) |transpose(echo(step(shuffle(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ) |(((step((step((step(transpose((arpeggio(X) |arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) ,12) +(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,12) +transpose(step((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(echo(((((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,12) ) |(step(X,12) +(X|X) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) |echo(echo(shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(step(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ,12) ,-7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) +arpeggio((step(((echo(((echo(echo((transpose((X|X) ,-7) |(transpose(X,4) |shuffle(X) ) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +((((X|X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) +(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose((shuffle(X) +X) ,-5) |shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((echo((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) |(((X|X) |transpose(X,-5) ) |X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) +(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |step((X|X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,7) ) |((shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +(X+X) ) ) |shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) |(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(((X+X) |X) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |transpose((transpose((X+transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) +(transpose(X,4) |step(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) ,4) +((((X+transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,12) ) |(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(step((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) +((((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) +((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) +(X|X) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(((((X+step(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) )
random seed used was 996633 EXPR = transpose((arpeggio(transpose(echo(((transpose((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio(((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) |(echo(X,4,6) |X) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((shuffle(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(((transpose(step((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,4) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) +step((transpose(transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = transpose(((transpose(((transpose((X|transpose(X,-5) ) ,-7) +shuffle((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ) ) ) +(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X|echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ) +((X+transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(((arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |(X+X) ) ,4) ,7) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) |(shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) |((transpose((((((step(X,12) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio((transpose(X,4) |X) ) |shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo(transpose((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) |((echo(X,4,6) |X) |(((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +(X|arpeggio(X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,-7) ) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) +((step(X,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((echo((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) |step((step((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,12) |shuffle((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(X+X) ) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) |(step(((transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(step(((((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) +echo(step(arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,12) +transpose((((echo(shuffle((((X|transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-5) |transpose((((((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(echo((echo(echo(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+X) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) +step((transpose(X,-5) +shuffle(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((step(X,12) |X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,-5)
random seed used was 0

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