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:
((((transpose((transpose(((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) |step(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) +(transpose(shuffle(((step(X,12) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) |((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(shuffle((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((((transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((((((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) |(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ) +((((((transpose(((echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) |((X+transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,7) ) |((X+transpose(X,12) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(shuffle(step(((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) +(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(echo((shuffle((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) +step((X+arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(shuffle(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(step(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) +(((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) |shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo(step(shuffle(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose((step((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) +((((arpeggio(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) +transpose(arpeggio((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,4) ) ) ,7) ) +((((arpeggio(transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((((X|X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ) |((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(echo((transpose(shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ) +step(((transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) |((step(X,12) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +X) ,12) ) ) ,4) +transpose((echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4,6) |(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(((((echo((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((X|X) +step(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) +(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+shuffle(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ) +transpose((echo((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) |(X|X) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((((((echo((echo(X,4,6) +shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,4,6) +((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) |(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) ) ) |((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +step(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(step((((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((step(echo(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) +transpose(step(transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) |((((transpose(((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) +(X+X) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +((echo(X,4,6) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-5) +shuffle(step(((((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((X|(shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((((X+X) |echo(X,4,6) ) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(shuffle((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) |echo((transpose(X,-7) |(X+transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,4,6) ) |((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(shuffle((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |(X+transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) +(((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) |(echo(arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4,6) |shuffle(step(step((arpeggio(X) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +X) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +(X|X) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step(step(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(((shuffle(step((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) |((step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) |X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) |(step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((transpose((step(arpeggio(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) |(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((((step(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((shuffle(X) +shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,7) ) +arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(shuffle((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X|X) ) ,12) ) |((((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) +transpose(((transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) |echo(((step(X,12) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) |step(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((step(X,12) +transpose((echo(((X|X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(echo(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(echo((echo(X,4,6) +((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) )
random seed used was 67635565

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