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:
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Generations:
Phrase for X:
# of Tracks:
Randomize patches:
 

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After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
((transpose((echo(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(((X+X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) |(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) |transpose((transpose(transpose((((shuffle(echo(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,-5) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |(shuffle(X) |(X|X) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,4) |echo(transpose((echo((echo((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(((transpose(((X+X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) |(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +X) ) +transpose((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((((step(((((shuffle(X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(((((transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) +(transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) |transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |(transpose(X,-5) |step(X,12) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ) |arpeggio(transpose((echo(((transpose((transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |((X+X) +X) ) ,4) ) ,4) +transpose((echo(transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +echo((arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) |echo(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ) ,-7) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,-5) |transpose((transpose(transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) +shuffle(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) |(step((arpeggio(transpose(step((transpose((((X+(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X|X) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +(echo((X|X) ,4,6) +((X|X) |X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,-5) |step((transpose(X,4) +X) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(transpose(step((step(X,12) +X) ,12) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +((step(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +(X|((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio((echo(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose((step(X,12) +(echo(X,4,6) +X) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ,4,6) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) ) |(echo(transpose(step(transpose((echo(transpose(echo(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4,6) +echo(shuffle((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) ,4,6) +(((transpose(((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(shuffle(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) |((transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(((arpeggio(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,-5) ) |(arpeggio((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) +shuffle(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X|X) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((arpeggio((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) |X) ,4) |step(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |transpose(((((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step((((((((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ) +X) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) |(X|X) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) |step((((X|X) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) |(((transpose((((X|X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ) |shuffle((X+X) ) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio((echo((X+X) ,4,6) |X) ) ,12) ) +echo(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) |transpose(transpose((((arpeggio(X) |X) +transpose(X,-5) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) |(((transpose(((transpose(((X|X) +echo((X+X) ,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((X|X) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((((transpose(X,-5) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,4) |transpose((echo(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,4,6) +transpose((((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+X) |X) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X|transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ) |((((((transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +(step(X,12) +X) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |transpose((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) |(X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose((arpeggio(X) +echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ,-5) +step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,4) |((echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(((X|X) |X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ) +transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) |(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) +arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ) ) ) ,7) )
random seed used was 230842740

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