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 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
shuffle(echo((step(echo((echo((step((transpose(step(((X+transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(((transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) |arpeggio((arpeggio(((X+X) |(X+X) ) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(step((transpose((step(shuffle(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((arpeggio((shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(step((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) +((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) |((transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((((X+X) +X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(step(arpeggio(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((((transpose((((((X+X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +(step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((arpeggio(((X+X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) +(arpeggio(((shuffle(X) +transpose(echo((step(X,12) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((X+(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) +echo(shuffle(transpose(shuffle(shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((shuffle(arpeggio(transpose((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) ) ) +((X+transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((shuffle(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ) +transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose((((transpose(step(transpose((arpeggio(arpeggio(shuffle((step((X+X) ,12) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ,-5) |shuffle(arpeggio((transpose(echo(transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) |step((((((shuffle(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,7) ) |transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(step((((shuffle(echo(((step((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((((transpose(transpose(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((step(X,12) |X) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step((arpeggio(X) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(transpose(transpose((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) |echo(arpeggio((shuffle(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +step((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(((arpeggio((transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(step((arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,4) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(echo(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(step((transpose(echo(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(((shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,-5) |((((arpeggio((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) |((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) +((shuffle(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((step(X,12) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose((step(echo(((((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((step(X,12) +(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((((((step(X,12) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((echo(echo(echo(echo((((X+transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(((shuffle(shuffle((((transpose(X,4) |X) |((X+X) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) +X) ) ) +transpose((echo(((((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((shuffle(X) +shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((arpeggio(X) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) |shuffle(echo(((step((((((shuffle(X) |X) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((((echo((((arpeggio(X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((((step(X,12) |(X|echo(X,4,6) ) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X|(X|X) ) |(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(step((((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((X|X) |(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((echo(echo((transpose(step(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,12) ,4) |transpose(arpeggio((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) +(arpeggio((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((shuffle(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) |echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(((X+X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) +shuffle(step(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) ) |(((step(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) |(((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose((step(step(X,12) ,12) |(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose((step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) |arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ) ,12) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +transpose((step(step(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) +transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(step((X|(X|X) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) )
random seed used was 248114248

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