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 18 generations the expression "X" became this:
((((transpose(echo(((transpose(step(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ,-7) +(transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-5) |(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) |(shuffle((X|X) ) +(X|X) ) ) ) ,4) |transpose(transpose((shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +(X+transpose(X,-7) ) ) |X) ) +transpose(((transpose((X|echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose(((((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(step(((echo(((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) |(arpeggio(X) +X) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio((arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) ) |((transpose(X,-7) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ) |(((X|transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ) |((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) |transpose(X,4) ) +((((transpose(X,-7) |X) +shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X|transpose(X,-5) ) +((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) +(((transpose((((echo(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |X) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) +(((transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) |transpose(X,-5) ) |X) +((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) |transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) |X) ,-5) |((arpeggio((((((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,12) ,4) ) ) +((echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(((((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((((transpose((transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,-5) |(step((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,-5) |(X+X) ) ,12) |transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,4) |(echo(X,4,6) |X) ) +transpose((((shuffle((X|X) ) |X) |arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-5) ) ) +shuffle(transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +(transpose((((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) |(transpose((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((((((transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) |(transpose(X,-5) |transpose((X+(X|X) ) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(((step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((((shuffle(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,7) ) |((((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose((((shuffle((X|X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ,4) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose((transpose(transpose(shuffle(step(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(((transpose((step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((step(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) +((X+transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |(X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(transpose(X,-7) +X) ) ,7) ) ) |(shuffle(X) +step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((((X+X) +transpose((X+shuffle(X) ) ,12) ) |shuffle(X) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(shuffle((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose((((((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose((shuffle((X|X) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,-7) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) |(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +(X+X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) |(((X+X) |X) |X) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) +(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +step(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,-5) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((((shuffle(step(((((transpose(X,-5) |(((X+X) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((X+step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) +step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) |X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose((transpose(shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) |((X|X) |X) ) ) ,4) +transpose(((shuffle((arpeggio(X) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) +(echo(transpose((((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|transpose(X,-7) ) +(X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +shuffle(((X|X) +(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(step((arpeggio(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ) |transpose(echo((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(transpose((((step(((transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) +(X+X) ) ,12) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,12) |(step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(step(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((arpeggio((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) |((shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(shuffle((X+X) ) +(X+X) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((step(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,12) +(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-5) |transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(arpeggio((transpose(transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) +shuffle((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,12) |(step(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,4) ,-7) ,12) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose(((step(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) +(X+transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) |(echo((X|X) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +(X+X) ) |transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo(((shuffle(transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(echo((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) |(transpose(transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((shuffle(echo(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(echo((((X+X) |X) +transpose(step(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) )
random seed used was 218647075

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