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 18 generations the expression "X" became this:
(((((transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(echo((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) ,-7) +((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(echo(((X+X) +X) ,4,6) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |((X|X) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) +(((transpose((transpose(X,-7) +arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) |(((X+X) +step((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,-5) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +shuffle(step(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) |echo((((step(transpose(((transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) +((((((X|X) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) |X) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(echo((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +shuffle(X) ) +(step(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,12) +transpose((X|(shuffle(X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((echo((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(shuffle(arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((X+(X+X) ) +echo(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) ,4,6) ) |(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +X) +arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) |(shuffle(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) |shuffle(transpose(transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ) ) ) |step(echo(((X+(X|X) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((step((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) +step(arpeggio(echo(((X+X) +step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) |((transpose(((echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(((((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) |step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) |transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) |step(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((((X|X) +(X|X) ) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,-7) |arpeggio((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +(X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((step((step((transpose(X,4) +X) ,12) +(echo((step(X,12) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ) ,4,6) +transpose((X+((X|X) |step(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) |((((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |(arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((((X|X) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,-5) ) +transpose(step((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((((transpose((transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,-7) |transpose((transpose(X,4) |transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) |X) ,12) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(step(echo(((transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) +(X|X) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) +((echo(transpose(arpeggio((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose((((step((X+transpose((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) |(transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,-5) +(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,-7) ) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) |X) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) +(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((((((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) ,-5) |(transpose(transpose((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) |(((((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) |(step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) |shuffle(arpeggio(((X|X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(arpeggio((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ) |(transpose(echo((((((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+arpeggio(X) ) |transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) |transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-7) ) |(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+(X|((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) +transpose((step(X,12) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(((echo(step(((((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) +shuffle(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose((X|step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ) |((transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) |(step(echo((step(X,12) |shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) |echo(transpose((transpose(X,4) +shuffle(X) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) |(echo(step((transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ) +((((((((X|X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +(X|X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +(X|X) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +((shuffle((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) |step(((X+transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(((step((X|X) ,12) |((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,12) ,7) ) ) +((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) |step(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) |transpose(echo(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) |(shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ) +transpose(arpeggio((arpeggio((((transpose(((arpeggio(X) |X) |(X|(X+X) ) ) ,-5) |(transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose((X|transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) |shuffle(step((X+X) ,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(((X|echo(X,4,6) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ) |echo((((arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((echo((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +((X+X) |X) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) |((((X+step(X,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +X) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +shuffle(X) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) |(shuffle(X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,-5) ) ) )
random seed used was 103524601

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