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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Generations:
Phrase for X:
# of Tracks:
Randomize patches:
 

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After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
((shuffle((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose((((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +(transpose((step((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((echo((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X|X) ) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +shuffle((((((shuffle(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) |shuffle(X) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) +shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) +echo((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) +(transpose((transpose(((X|X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(((step(shuffle((X+X) ) ,12) +transpose(echo((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) |(arpeggio(((transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +(X+X) ) ,-5) ,-7) +(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +((X|X) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +((step(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) ,7) ) |transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((transpose((((shuffle(step(echo(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +(X+X) ) ,7) ) +((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) |shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) |step(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) +(transpose(arpeggio(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) ,-7) |(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,4) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,12) ) |(((transpose((((transpose(echo((shuffle(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) |((((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +(X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) |echo(transpose(step(((X|X) |X) ,12) ,-7) ,4,6) ) |(step(transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +X) ,4) ,12) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(((((X|shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((((((arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) |echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(((((step(X,12) +(X+X) ) +transpose((X+shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(((shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) |(transpose(X,4) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(step(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((shuffle(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) |(transpose(transpose(shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |(X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) +shuffle(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose(((transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) +(X|arpeggio(X) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) |transpose(arpeggio(((X+(X|X) ) +X) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) +((transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(shuffle((transpose(step(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,-7) +echo(transpose((X|arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) |shuffle(shuffle(shuffle(step(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) ) |shuffle(transpose(((shuffle((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) |(X|(X+X) ) ) +echo(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4) |step(((transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,12) ,4) +step(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ,12) ) |((shuffle((transpose(((X+X) +X) ,-5) +(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +(shuffle(X) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) |(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) |(shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ) |((X+X) +(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) +shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(shuffle((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(shuffle((echo((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) |(transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-5) |(shuffle(X) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) |((step(((X|transpose(X,-5) ) |((X+X) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(echo(shuffle(transpose((step(X,12) |X) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ) ) +shuffle(shuffle(arpeggio(echo(echo((((transpose(transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,4) ,-7) |echo((echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +shuffle((X+X) ) ) ,4,6) |echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((step(arpeggio((step(X,12) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +(shuffle((shuffle(shuffle(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,4) |X) +transpose(shuffle(step((X|X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) |arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ) ) ) )
random seed used was 164175387

NOTE: Generated phrase was too large ( 9738 ) , it has been truncated at 5000 notes. EXPR = shuffle(shuffle(transpose(transpose(((shuffle(transpose(arpeggio((((shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) |transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) +X) ) ,-7) ) +transpose((arpeggio((transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) ) |transpose(((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) |(step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(step(transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) +shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) +(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-7) +arpeggio(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle((arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle((transpose(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) +shuffle(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +(shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ) |(echo(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(echo((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |(transpose(X,-7) +shuffle(X) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((((shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-5) ) |shuffle(step(X,12) ) ) |((arpeggio((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |shuffle(X) ) ) |transpose((X+(X|X) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ) +(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,-7) ,4) |(shuffle(((step(X,12) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ,4) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(shuffle(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose((shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(shuffle((transpose(X,-7) |(X+X) ) ) ,12) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle((((step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ) )
random seed used was 0


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