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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Phrase for X:
# of Tracks:
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After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
transpose(((((transpose(arpeggio((transpose(shuffle(((((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +(shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) +((((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) |X) ,-7) +transpose(step(transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) |(transpose((((((arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose((((X|X) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +(step((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) |((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |step(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) |shuffle(((X|X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) |((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) +(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) +(X|X) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) |(((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((X|shuffle(X) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose((((step(echo((echo((X|X) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) +arpeggio(echo((((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,4) ) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(step((transpose((shuffle((((X+X) |X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) |transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) ,-7) +step(((transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) +(X+(step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((((((X+transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) |arpeggio(transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(((X|X) |X) ,4) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo((((step((transpose(arpeggio(((X+X) +step(X,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose((shuffle(X) +(X+X) ) ,-7) +((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,12) |echo(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) +transpose(step((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((step((((echo(X,4,6) +X) +echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) |arpeggio((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose((step((((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) |(step(X,12) +arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) +(X|X) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |(((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ) +(echo((X|transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) |step((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ) +(arpeggio((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) +((((X|echo(X,4,6) ) +(arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose((transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,-5) +transpose((((transpose(((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) +((arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((X|arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo(((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) |arpeggio(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +(shuffle(shuffle(((transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +echo(echo(transpose(transpose(((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,12) +arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) |(transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose(((X|X) +X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) |(arpeggio(X) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(((((echo((X+X) ,4,6) |(arpeggio((arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |arpeggio(X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) +(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(((X|X) |shuffle((X+X) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) |shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ) ) +((transpose(step(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) |X) ,4) ,12) ,-7) +transpose((((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +((X+X) +X) ) |(X+X) ) +transpose(step((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) +(transpose(shuffle(((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) |X) ) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ,7) ) |((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +(arpeggio((X|X) ) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(echo((step(X,12) +X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose((step((shuffle(transpose((X+step(X,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-5) |(step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose((shuffle(transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((((X+(shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) +(((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) |(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) |echo(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((((((X+X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((step(X,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(((((transpose((((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) |(arpeggio((((shuffle(X) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) +transpose((arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ) +transpose((echo((((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,-5) ) ,-5) ) ) |(transpose((transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +(X+(shuffle(X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +((((X+X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ) |shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(step((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) |((X+X) +X) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) |transpose(echo((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) |transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((shuffle(transpose(((echo(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +(((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) |((((X|X) +X) +shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) +X) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((shuffle(shuffle(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +(transpose(((((((X+X) +X) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(((X+(X|X) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |(X+X) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ,4) ) ) ,-5) |(transpose((step(transpose((transpose((shuffle((X|X) ) +shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4) +transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(X|X) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X|((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) +transpose(step(arpeggio((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) |(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +(X+transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,-7) +(((transpose(transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,-7) ,-7) |((((shuffle((X|X) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(step((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) |transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +echo(echo((step(X,12) |X) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +echo(step(arpeggio(((arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) |((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((((step((echo(X,4,6) +X) ,12) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(shuffle((X|X) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((((arpeggio(X) |(X|X) ) +(arpeggio(X) +X) ) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +(X|(X|X) ) ) ,12) ) |(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,4) |shuffle(step(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4)
random seed used was 224754606

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