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 19 generations the expression "X" became this:

(arpeggio(transpose(((step(shuffle((transpose(((((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose((arpeggio(((X+X) |(X|X) ) ) |(arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +(((transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ) |transpose((X|shuffle(X) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +(X+X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) |(step(transpose(((transpose(X,4) |(X|(X|X) ) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ,12) |arpeggio(echo(step(((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) |(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) +X) ) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) |shuffle((X|X) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ,-7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(((transpose(shuffle((step(transpose(step((echo(echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) |(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) |(((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,12) ) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) ) ) ,12) ,-7) ,12) +transpose((arpeggio((transpose(((step(((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) |transpose(((((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) |(step(X,12) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose((X+echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+echo(X,4,6) ) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +(((X+(X|X) ) |(transpose(((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) +(X+echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) |((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ) |((transpose(echo(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(((((X+X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) |transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) |(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +echo((((((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,-7) |arpeggio((X|X) ) ) +transpose(((((X|X) |echo(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(step(((((X+X) |shuffle(X) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(step(shuffle((shuffle(step((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((X|arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,-5) |(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +transpose(step((((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) +shuffle(transpose((shuffle((((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +X) ,7) ) |((transpose(X,4) |(echo(X,4,6) |X) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose(((X+X) |(X|X) ) ,7) ) |(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(((shuffle(arpeggio((arpeggio(X) +(X|X) ) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ) ) |transpose((shuffle(transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +(transpose((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(shuffle(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(step(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,12) ,-7) ) ,4) ,4) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose(((((((step(step(X,12) ,12) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(((X|X) +(X|X) ) ,-5) ) |shuffle(transpose(((((((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((X|X) |echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ) |arpeggio(((step(transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,4) ,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) |arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +step(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((((X|X) |arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) |transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +shuffle(shuffle((((echo((X|((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +((((X+X) |(X+X) ) +X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ) |(((((echo(transpose((((X+X) +((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) |transpose((transpose(X,4) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,4,6) |shuffle((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) |X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X|step(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) +((echo(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) +(transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ,12) +transpose(step(((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) |((shuffle(X) +X) +((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) |(transpose((step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,12) |(X|transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) +shuffle(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((X|((X|X) +X) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ) +((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X|transpose(X,-5) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) +(X+arpeggio(X) ) ) ) |arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |((X+X) |X) ) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step((transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ,4) +transpose((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) |shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ) ,-7) ) ,12) +(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) |(((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +shuffle((X|X) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +echo((transpose(((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) |transpose(step((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ) ,4) +echo(transpose((((X|X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ) ) |arpeggio((transpose(step(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(shuffle(((echo(X,4,6) |X) |(transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ,4) +arpeggio(echo(transpose((transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) |((X+step(X,12) ) |X) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) )
random seed used was 121005832

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