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 15 generations the expression "X" became this:
arpeggio(((((arpeggio(transpose(((arpeggio((X|X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,12) ) |step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) +(step(((arpeggio(step((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |shuffle(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(shuffle(step((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((transpose(X,-7) |shuffle(X) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) +transpose((step(transpose(transpose((step(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4,6) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(((transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) )
random seed used was 1367631 EXPR = ((transpose((((((((step(transpose((shuffle(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) |transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) |step((transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +(X+transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +((transpose((step(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,12) |transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(((((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,7) ) |transpose(shuffle((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) |arpeggio(X) ) |arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle((step(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |(X|X) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((((step(X,12) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(((((X+shuffle(X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose((transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-5) |transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,4) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) |transpose(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,4) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((step((echo(X,4,6) +(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) +shuffle(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,4) +transpose((shuffle(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ) |((transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) |shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(step(echo(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,-5) |shuffle(transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio((((((((((step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) |arpeggio(step(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) +echo(transpose(step(((((step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,4) ,4,6) ) |shuffle(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) |step(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(step((transpose(transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,4) ,-5) +(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(step(step(((transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((step(transpose(transpose((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,12) +transpose(((((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |echo(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +arpeggio(X) ) |arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((shuffle(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) )
random seed used was 0 EXPR = transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(echo(((transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+(X|X) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ,-7) +step(((((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose((((X+transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,4)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = arpeggio((step(((transpose(step(echo((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) |echo((transpose(X,-5) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose(step(step((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((step((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose((((transpose(X,-7) |transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((shuffle(((((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) |(transpose(shuffle((transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ) |((transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((step(X,12) |step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) |(X|X) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) )
random seed used was 0

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