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 19 generations the expression "X" became this:
(transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose((((transpose(transpose(((shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) |shuffle(X) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) |((transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) +X) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,12) +transpose(transpose(step(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) |((X|(X+X) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((((((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +(transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(((X|X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step((transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ,4) |(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(step(step(transpose((step((X|X) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ,12) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ,-5) |((((((transpose(transpose(transpose((step(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) +((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) |(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) |X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-7) ,-5) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4) ,-7) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ) |(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-5) |(transpose(X,-5) +(X|X) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,7) ) +(transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +(X+transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio((step((X+(transpose(X,4) |shuffle(X) ) ) ,12) +(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) |(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) |transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) |step(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) |shuffle((shuffle(shuffle((X|X) ) ) +(shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(echo((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(((X|X) +X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((transpose((((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) +(step((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +X) ,12) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose((step(((((((transpose(X,-7) +(transpose(X,-5) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(((X|(X+X) ) +((X|X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((step(transpose(transpose(((X|X) +X) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,7) ) +((X|X) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |(step(X,12) |arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +(((((((step(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,12) +transpose((X|transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ) +step(((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,4) |step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |((((transpose((shuffle(X) +shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +(X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(((((transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(shuffle((X|X) ) ,12) |arpeggio((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +(transpose(X,-7) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) +echo(((arpeggio(echo(step(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +(shuffle(X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |X) ,12) ) +echo(((X|X) |arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(echo(((((((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +X) +transpose(step(((X+echo(X,4,6) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+X) ) ,-7) ) |shuffle(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +shuffle(arpeggio((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +((transpose((step(X,12) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(((X|X) +transpose(((X+X) |X) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) +((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((echo((((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) |arpeggio(X) ) |((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(X|X) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) +step((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((((X+X) +step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |(transpose(arpeggio(((step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,12) +transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +((transpose(X,-5) |(transpose(X,-7) |shuffle(X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +echo(transpose((((arpeggio((arpeggio(X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) |step(X,12) ) +((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) |echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) +shuffle((X+X) ) ) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,-5) +arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ) ) |transpose(step(transpose((transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((step((X|X) ,12) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,12) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose((transpose(transpose((((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) |transpose((transpose(step((transpose(((((X+X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ,-7) +transpose(echo(step((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,-7) +transpose(((arpeggio(((((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +shuffle(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ) |shuffle(step(X,12) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,-5) |(transpose((X+(X|X) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose((step((((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+(transpose(X,-7) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) |(echo(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4,6) +(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +transpose(transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |(transpose(X,-5) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +((transpose(((X+X) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ,-5) |(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) |transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,-5) ) ) |shuffle(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(((echo(transpose((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,4) ,4,6) |((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) |transpose((shuffle(X) +X) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) |(step((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) |(((((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,-7) |((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) |arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |(transpose(step(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) +(((X|X) +(X+X) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(echo(echo((((X|X) |X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,4) |transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,12) ) +(((X+X) +arpeggio(X) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ,4) +((((transpose(X,4) |X) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) |((((((X|X) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) +((((X+X) |echo(X,4,6) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +shuffle(transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ) ) |(transpose(((((step(echo(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio(X) ) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(((echo(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) +arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ) |transpose(((step(X,12) |transpose(X,-7) ) +X) ,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(step((transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((((X|(X+X) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) |shuffle(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ) )
random seed used was 131763760

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