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:
(((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose((((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) +(shuffle(X) +(transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((((echo((X+X) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |X) ,7) ) +(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(((((X|(X+echo(X,4,6) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +X) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ) +(step(X,12) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(((shuffle((X|X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) +transpose((shuffle(arpeggio((transpose(shuffle(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) ,-5) |transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ) ) ) +echo((transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose(step(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) +(transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose((((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) |(transpose(X,-5) +(X|X) ) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(shuffle((step(echo(((shuffle(X) |X) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) +(transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,-5) +step((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) |(shuffle(X) |(X+X) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(((((transpose(((X+(arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) ,-5) +transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |step(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step(step(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ,12) |(((transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-7) |(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) |(X+X) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) +transpose((arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+X) ) |X) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,4) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(shuffle(((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(echo(((X+X) |X) ,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) |(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((step((transpose(X,-7) +X) ,12) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,4) ,-5) ) ,-7) ) +transpose((step(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(step((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(transpose((step(transpose(transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ,-7) ,12) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,-5) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+X) ) +transpose(((X|X) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(arpeggio((((arpeggio(((((X+X) |(transpose(X,4) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(echo(echo((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(step((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) |((((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) +arpeggio(echo(shuffle(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,-7) +transpose((step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) ,12) ) ) +(X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(echo((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((step(step(((step((((((arpeggio(shuffle(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,4) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(((echo(arpeggio((((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio((((X+X) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,4) |(arpeggio((((X+X) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(((X|X) |X) ,-5) +((echo(X,4,6) |(X|X) ) +X) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +arpeggio((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose((step((X+X) ,12) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) |arpeggio((transpose(transpose(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ) ,12) +(transpose((echo((X|X) ,4,6) |(X+X) ) ,-7) +transpose(((step((transpose((transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) |(X+X) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) |transpose(transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,-7) ,-7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +((arpeggio(echo(((echo((step((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +(transpose(X,-5) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) +X) ,-7) ) ,4,6) +((((transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +echo(((((X|X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +(X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+(transpose((X|X) ,-5) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) |transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |(transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) +transpose(((X+(transpose(X,-7) |(X|X) ) ) |arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+(X+X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) +(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) |step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose((((step((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(step((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) |((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(X,4) |((((transpose(X,4) |X) +transpose(((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) +transpose(echo(((transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +(arpeggio(X) |X) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose((X|echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,12) +transpose(((transpose((step(((((((((X|X) |echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+X) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) +arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ) |transpose(((transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) |transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) ,12) +(transpose(shuffle(((shuffle(transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,4) +X) ,12) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) +shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +X) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((shuffle(X) |arpeggio(X) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,4) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(step((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X|X) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,-7) ,-7) +step(echo(transpose((((transpose(((X|X) +X) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +(X|X) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) |echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,-5) ) |(transpose(step(transpose((shuffle(((step((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) +echo((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ) |((step((transpose(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose((step(((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(arpeggio(((echo(X,4,6) +X) +transpose(((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) |step(transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,-5) +(X|(X|X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) )
random seed used was 118890740

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