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:
echo(transpose(((step(((transpose(shuffle(echo((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) |(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +((transpose(arpeggio(shuffle((X+X) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +arpeggio((((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |X) ,-7) ) |transpose(step((X+X) ,12) ,-5) ) |step(shuffle((((X|X) +transpose(step((step((X|X) ,12) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((((transpose((X+X) ,4) |(X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step(((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4,6)
random seed used was 926 EXPR = transpose(((transpose(transpose((((transpose((echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose((shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) |(((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +(shuffle((transpose(X,4) |X) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((((shuffle(X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) |transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose(echo((transpose((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) |echo(transpose(transpose((echo((X+transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose((arpeggio((X+X) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) |step(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5)
random seed used was 0 EXPR = (((arpeggio((((((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose(((X+X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) |arpeggio(shuffle((transpose(X,4) |X) ) ) ) |arpeggio(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X|echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) |(((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) |((((((X+X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +X) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) +((echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +(transpose(X,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(echo(shuffle(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) +arpeggio(((transpose(transpose((shuffle((((((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+(X|X) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,7) ) |((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +(X|X) ) ) ) +((arpeggio(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(step((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((transpose(echo(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((((((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,12) ) |transpose((((shuffle((X|X) ) +step((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((step(X,12) +transpose(((X|X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) |step(transpose((transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,-5) +((transpose(X,4) +X) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(((((arpeggio(echo(transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(step(((transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) |shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) +(((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-7) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose((((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose(step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,12) ,4) |transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,-5) ,-5) |arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(((X|X) +arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ) ,4) |step(((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(((transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((((X|transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) +arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +(arpeggio(echo((step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ) +((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,-7) +echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) |(transpose((((X|X) |X) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) +step((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +shuffle(X) ) +((transpose((X|(X|X) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) |echo((shuffle(((transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) ,7) ) +transpose(((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) |((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) +(((transpose(((transpose(transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,4) |((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) +(X|X) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step((shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((echo(X,4,6) |X) ,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) +arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(step((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(((transpose(X,-7) |X) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,12) ) ,4,6) |(arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((echo(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,4,6) +((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) |transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ) |((transpose((transpose(X,4) |X) ,4) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +step(X,12) ) ) ) ,-7) |((arpeggio(((((X|X) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) |(transpose(X,4) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) ,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) +(((arpeggio((X+X) ) +step((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) +(X+transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) )
random seed used was 0

NOTE: Generated phrase was too large ( 5214 ) , it has been truncated at 5000 notes. EXPR = (transpose(((transpose(step((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,12) ,-7) |(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(echo(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(((shuffle(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ) +(echo((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ,4,6) |(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +(X+X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |echo(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ) ) |((transpose(step((X+((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) |shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(((((transpose((((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +(X+X) ) |(X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(echo((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,-5) +(X|X) ) +(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(step((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) |transpose(((step(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,12) |((((step(X,12) +shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+X) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +X) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose((step((transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle(((X+X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-7) +(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) +(transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) |arpeggio(((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) +((((((transpose(transpose(echo(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose((X+arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ) |(((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,4) ) ,12) ) |(step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) |(X+X) ) ) ,12) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) +(X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +arpeggio(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(step((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(step((transpose(shuffle((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) +echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,12) )
random seed used was 0


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