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 16 generations the expression "X" became this:

((((transpose(transpose((step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) +arpeggio(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +(X|X) ) ,-5) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,4) +(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ) |((transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((((((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |((X|X) +X) ) +transpose((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) |transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,7) ) |(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +(((transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((((((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) +(X+transpose((((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((arpeggio(X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) |transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,4) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose((step(transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) +transpose(((transpose(shuffle(echo(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) |transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4) ,-7) |((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) |step((X+X) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(echo(transpose((transpose(((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(X+X) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) |(transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,-5) +transpose((transpose((((X+X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((shuffle(X) +X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((((transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,4) ,12) +echo(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) +((transpose(shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose((echo(transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) |step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) |(X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(((((echo((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((X|step(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) |(transpose(step(((X|X) |X) ,12) ,4) +shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((X|X) |step((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) ,7) )
random seed used was 13 EXPR = shuffle((((step((transpose(transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +(X|X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((transpose(step(echo((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,-5) +transpose((((shuffle(transpose(((X+(X|X) ) |echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ) +echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) |(X|arpeggio(X) ) ) |transpose((echo((X|transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) |transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +shuffle(transpose(echo((((transpose((arpeggio(X) |X) ,-5) +transpose((step(X,12) +arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +(((X+X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(transpose(X,-7) +X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(shuffle((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose((echo(step(echo((((transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X|arpeggio(X) ) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) |(((((X+X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) |transpose(step(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ) +(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ) +(((X|transpose(X,-7) ) |X) +((transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) |(X+step(X,12) ) ) ,-7) |transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) +transpose(((echo(step((X+(X+X) ) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,4,6) |(step((step(step(transpose(((X+step(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ,12) |((transpose(((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) +(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) +(arpeggio((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +shuffle(arpeggio((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ) |shuffle(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-7) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose((shuffle(shuffle(arpeggio((((echo(X,4,6) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) )
random seed used was 0

NOTE: Generated phrase was too large ( 8262 ) , it has been truncated at 5000 notes. EXPR = transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(((step(((transpose(shuffle(step((X+X) ,12) ) ,-5) +((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,12) ) ) |((transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +((transpose(X,-7) |step((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose(step((((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step((((shuffle(((X|(X+X) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +echo(X,4,6) ) |arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) +((((X|transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) |(shuffle(X) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-5)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(shuffle(transpose((shuffle(((transpose(X,-5) +X) +(transpose(X,-7) |X) ) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) |((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +step(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7)
random seed used was 0

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