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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Phrase for X:
# of Tracks:
Randomize patches:
 

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After 18 generations the expression "X" became this:
step((echo((step(transpose(transpose(echo(echo(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X|X) +(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+X) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((step((echo((X+X) ,4,6) |arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) |(echo((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) +step((transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((X+(X|X) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(step((step((arpeggio(arpeggio((X|X) ) ) +echo((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) |((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) +(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((transpose(echo((step(X,12) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,-5) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose(((echo(((echo(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose((shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((step(X,12) |X) |transpose(X,-5) ) |(X|(X+(X+X) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((echo((arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4,6) +(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,-7) |(shuffle((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) |((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((echo((X|X) ,4,6) +arpeggio((X+X) ) ) +transpose(((echo((transpose(X,-7) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +(X+X) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step((transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +X) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ,-5) ,4) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,12)
random seed used was 6

NOTE: Generated phrase was too large ( 6091 ) , it has been truncated at 5000 notes. EXPR = transpose(transpose(((((transpose((shuffle(shuffle((((echo((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) |arpeggio(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7) ) ) +(echo(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |(X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose((transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(((X+X) |(transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(step((X+(X+X) ) ,12) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose((transpose((arpeggio(X) +X) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) |transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,12) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ,-7) |(echo(step(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) +((((((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +X) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,7) ) |(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +shuffle(step((transpose(X,4) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) |arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) |(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle((X|transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ,4) +echo(echo(((shuffle(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(echo(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(echo((X+(X+X) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) |step(transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) |transpose(arpeggio((step(((transpose(arpeggio(((((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +shuffle(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) |shuffle(arpeggio((arpeggio((step(transpose(((arpeggio((shuffle(X) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((X+((X+transpose(((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) |arpeggio((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,-5) |arpeggio(X) ) ) ) ) ,-7) ,12) |((step((X+X) ,12) |step(X,12) ) |(((echo(arpeggio(transpose((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(((X+transpose(echo(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) +(((X|X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) |(X+transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,-7) |(echo(X,4,6) +(X|X) ) ) ) ,4) +echo((echo(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-7)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = ((transpose(((step(((arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +X) ) +transpose(shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,4) +(X|X) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(step((echo((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ,4,6) +echo(transpose((transpose(X,4) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ,12) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +arpeggio((X+X) ) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) |(step(shuffle(echo(transpose((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,12) +(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((arpeggio(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ) |X) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(step((((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-5) +(transpose(((X+X) +(X|X) ) ,-5) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ,-7) |(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose((((transpose(((transpose((shuffle(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) +echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(step((transpose(echo((X|(X|X) ) ,4,6) ,-7) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) |transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,12) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) |((transpose(transpose(transpose(((((X|X) |X) +(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((((X+X) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((((X|X) +arpeggio(X) ) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose(echo((transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) ) |transpose(transpose((X+step((X+X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(transpose(((transpose(((X+X) |X) ,-5) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +(X+transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7) |shuffle((arpeggio(transpose(step(shuffle(echo(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,12) ,-5) ) +transpose((echo(((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) |step((transpose(X,-7) +step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) |transpose((arpeggio((transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4) +(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) ) +((step((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,4) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) |arpeggio((transpose((((transpose(((((X|X) |(X+X) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4) +((X+X) |shuffle(X) ) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ,4) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) |(X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) +echo(step((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ) +transpose(((X+X) +step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) |((transpose((echo(((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4,6) +(X|X) ) ,4) |transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) |shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose((X+(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +shuffle(X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +(X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +(transpose((arpeggio((X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) |((step((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) |shuffle(X) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,4) +(transpose((((transpose(X,-7) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ) ) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = transpose(transpose((arpeggio((((arpeggio(X) +(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) |echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ) +arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ) |shuffle(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ) ) +((arpeggio(X) +(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,7) ) +(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose((step((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) |step((shuffle(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,4)
random seed used was 0


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