Tune Toys : Expresso

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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.

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After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:

arpeggio(((arpeggio(shuffle(((((echo(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(step((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ,4) ,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((((transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) |shuffle((X|X) ) ) ,7) ) +arpeggio((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ) ) +shuffle(((arpeggio((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +echo((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle((step(X,12) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(step((((step(echo(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+X) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(echo(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) +(((step(transpose(transpose(step((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ,12) |(step(((arpeggio(X) |arpeggio(X) ) |(echo(X,4,6) +X) ) ,12) +arpeggio(step(shuffle(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose((((step(arpeggio(echo(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) |echo(arpeggio(step(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle((X|X) ) |step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) +transpose(((shuffle((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +shuffle(X) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) |arpeggio(((X|X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,4) +(shuffle((X+X) ) +step(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) +((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((((echo(((((step(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose((echo(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) |X) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) |shuffle((arpeggio(X) +((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) ) +(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(echo(shuffle(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,7) ) +((arpeggio(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) |((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +echo((X+X) ,4,6) ) ,-5) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) |shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) |step(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(shuffle(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((echo(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,4,6) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +(arpeggio((shuffle(X) +step(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,12) ) ) +((((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose(((X+transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(shuffle(((X|X) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((step(echo((arpeggio(shuffle((((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) |((((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((X+step(X,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(((step(step(X,12) ,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(step((echo(X,4,6) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(transpose((step((echo(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +X) ,7) ) ,4,6) +((transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ,-5) |step((echo(((shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((shuffle(X) |X) ,12) ) +(X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((((transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,-7) +(shuffle(X) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(shuffle(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((echo((transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(((X+X) |X) ,-5) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((arpeggio(X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo((((echo(((X+transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) +shuffle(X) ) |echo(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(((((((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) |((X+X) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |(transpose(X,-5) |arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((step(step((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,12) +transpose(echo(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(((step(transpose((step(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(echo(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(echo(((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +echo(arpeggio(((((arpeggio(transpose(step(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,-7) |transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,7) ) +((echo(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo((transpose(X,4) |X) ,4,6) |echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((X|step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) |((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +(shuffle(X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) |((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +transpose(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(((((step(arpeggio(transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,-5) ) ,12) +transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(echo(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +((((X+transpose((step(X,12) +shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose((echo((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +(((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((step((X|X) ,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +step(step((X+X) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +((arpeggio(shuffle(step(transpose(echo((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(shuffle(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) ,4) |(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) |arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ) |arpeggio(X) ) +(shuffle(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) |(echo((shuffle(X) +echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) +transpose(step(arpeggio(step((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) |arpeggio(step(transpose(transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(echo(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(transpose(step(shuffle(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,-5) |echo((step(arpeggio(step(echo((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(step(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) +arpeggio(transpose((shuffle(((((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +shuffle(X) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(((step((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +arpeggio(X) ) ,12) +(((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +(step(shuffle(X) ,12) +X) ) ) +step(arpeggio((((((X+X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +echo(echo((((echo(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) +(step(step(X,12) ,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) )
random seed used was 229115035

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