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 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
((transpose(transpose((((shuffle((transpose(((((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((X|transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) |transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(step(arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) +((shuffle(((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) |arpeggio(X) ) |(X+transpose(X,4) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +(((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) |transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) +((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) |X) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,4,6) ,12) ) +shuffle(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) ) ) ) ) |transpose(transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) |(transpose((((transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose((X|step(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) +((((((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) |(transpose(X,-5) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) |(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,7) ) +(shuffle(((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) |((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |(X+X) ) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) ,4) +step(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4) |transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) ) +(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) +(transpose((X+X) ,-5) |arpeggio(X) ) ) ) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) |(arpeggio(transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((X+X) +step(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +(transpose((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((X|transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ,-7) |((((transpose(transpose((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X|(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) |(transpose((arpeggio((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(((step(transpose((X|step(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) |arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +(transpose(((X+X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) +transpose((X+(echo(X,4,6) +X) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(((echo(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-5) +X) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose((step(transpose((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) |transpose(transpose((((X+X) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,12) +shuffle((transpose((transpose(((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle((X|X) ) +X) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) |echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) |(echo(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |(X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(step(arpeggio((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step((((((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,7) ) +(X+X) ) ,12) ,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +(transpose((arpeggio((((shuffle(transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) |transpose(transpose((shuffle((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step((transpose(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) +(X+(X|X) ) ) +(transpose(X,-5) |X) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |arpeggio(X) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) |transpose((((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) |transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) ,12) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo(step((shuffle(transpose((transpose(transpose((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(echo(step(transpose(shuffle(transpose((transpose(X,4) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) ,-7) ,12) ,4,6) ) |step(transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +((echo((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,4,6) +(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,4) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) |echo(transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(shuffle(shuffle(arpeggio((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,12) ) |(arpeggio(X) |X) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) |((echo(transpose(echo(((echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,12) ,7) ) +(((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |step(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose((shuffle(transpose((echo(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,-5) ,4,6) +(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) |(((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ) +((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose((transpose((shuffle((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,-7) +step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) |(((((X|X) |X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ) ,-5) +((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,12) ) +echo(transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose((step(X,12) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ) +transpose(echo((transpose((X|X) ,4) +arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(shuffle(((transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) |shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) +(shuffle((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +(transpose((X+X) ,-5) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio((X|X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) |transpose((((((((echo(X,4,6) +shuffle(X) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose((X|echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle((transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) +((((X|X) |X) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((((transpose(X,4) |X) |step((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ) |(shuffle(((echo((X|(X|((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) |(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+X) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) |((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(((X|(X+X) ) +echo(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,4) +(transpose(transpose(echo((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) |((transpose(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) |arpeggio(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(((step((((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) |transpose(shuffle(arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) )
random seed used was 248310337

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