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

Results may not appear for a few seconds.
Be patient!
Do you like this result? Do you want to let other people listen to it?

Save this one in the
Tune Trove!


See what's already
in the Tune Trove!

After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
transpose(transpose((((((((arpeggio(echo((echo(((shuffle((X|X) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X|X) |shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose((echo((((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) |step(X,12) ) +shuffle((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(((X|X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) |(transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) |(shuffle(X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +(X+((X|X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) +(((((step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,12) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +((X+(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(((X+shuffle(X) ) |X) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((echo(X,4,6) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +shuffle(transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +X) ,4) ,-7) +(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) |X) ) ,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((shuffle((X|X) ) +((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,4) ) |transpose((X+X) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) |X) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle((X|(X|X) ) ) ,-5) +(((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((echo(echo(((X+transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4) |(((((X+X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |step(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |(X|X) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(echo(((transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(step((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((((((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) |echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) +transpose(echo(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) |((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X|X) ) |X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(step(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) +step(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,4) |arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |(((step(X,12) |(((X|X) +(X|X) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(step((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +arpeggio(transpose(((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +(X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo((arpeggio(transpose((((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(step(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +shuffle(transpose((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) +(((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,4) ) ) +(transpose(transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(echo((transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((((transpose(X,4) |X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +(((((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) +step(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +X) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(((shuffle((transpose(X,-7) |((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,7) ) +X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((echo(shuffle((((X|X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose((shuffle(((step((X|X) ,12) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose((step(X,12) |(X+X) ) ,-7) |transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) |(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) |transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) +(((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((transpose(X,-5) +shuffle((X|X) ) ) +transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((echo(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) |step((shuffle(X) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-7) +(echo(X,4,6) |(X+X) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) |(arpeggio(((shuffle((X|X) ) |X) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) |(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-7) ) ,-5) +((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ) |((((shuffle(((((transpose(X,4) +transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +(X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) +((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((((X+X) |X) +transpose(X,12) ) |((X+(transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |((X+step(X,12) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,4,6) |(transpose(X,-5) |X) ) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio((step(X,12) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) |((transpose((shuffle(transpose((((X+transpose(X,-5) ) +(X+transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(((X+transpose((transpose(X,4) |arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) |(transpose(((X+(X+X) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4) +((echo(shuffle((X+X) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose((X|arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +X) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) +X) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) |((arpeggio(transpose((shuffle((echo(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |(X|transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,4) ) |shuffle(((transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(((X+X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +echo(((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) |((step(X,12) |step(X,12) ) |((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) ) ) |((arpeggio(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) |transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(shuffle((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X|transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) |echo(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +X) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +(((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +shuffle(X) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) |((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((transpose(arpeggio((((shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) |(X+transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle((((transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(echo(step(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) |X) ) ,7) ) |transpose(((transpose(X,4) |step(X,12) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +(arpeggio(X) +transpose((shuffle(X) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((transpose((arpeggio(X) |(((X+X) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) |((shuffle(((step(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,12) +transpose(step(transpose(echo((X|echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) |arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(step((transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) +echo(((transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) |transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) |step((step(X,12) +X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ,-7)
random seed used was 229786292

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