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(step(((transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,-7) |transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) +shuffle(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,4) |transpose(transpose(step(arpeggio(transpose((arpeggio((X|X) ) +transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ,-7) ,-7) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X+X) ,4) +(X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) |transpose(step(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ,-7) ) |(echo((arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(((step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) |X) |transpose((X|X) ,-7) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((shuffle((shuffle(transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ,12) ) |((arpeggio(arpeggio((X+X) ) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(X) |(X+X) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4) |((transpose(((transpose((X|X) ,-7) |transpose(X,-5) ) +step(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio((shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(step((shuffle(X) |(X+X) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((((echo(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) |echo(arpeggio((X|X) ) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) |transpose((((X|X) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +((shuffle(X) +X) +(X+transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) |(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) |transpose((transpose(X,-7) +X) ,4) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((((shuffle(X) |transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +(step(transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ) |shuffle(transpose(echo(step((X|X) ,12) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ) +((((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) +((arpeggio(((X+X) +shuffle(X) ) ) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(((((transpose(transpose(transpose((arpeggio(X) +(X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) |(((((echo((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) |arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,4,6) +transpose((arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) +(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) |transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step((((X+transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) +(arpeggio(X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) ) |((((transpose(((X+X) |(X|X) ) ,-5) +arpeggio(transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(transpose((((((((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) |X) +(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |(((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(shuffle(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +(transpose(shuffle((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) +(((step(transpose((transpose(X,-5) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,12) +shuffle(((X|X) |X) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(arpeggio((step(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) |(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ) ,4) ,-7) +transpose((step(((((echo(((X+transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ,7) ) |transpose((echo((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) +(X+step(X,12) ) ) ) ,-5) ) |(transpose(((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-7) |((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose((transpose(X,-7) +arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-5) +step(step((transpose(X,-7) |(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((transpose((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(step((X|(X|X) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(((((X|(X|X) ) +arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(((shuffle(transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ) +(arpeggio(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) +transpose(step((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ) ) +echo(transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) +(((transpose((step(X,12) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(shuffle((echo(shuffle(((X+X) |X) ) ,4,6) |(((transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) +((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +(echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) +(X|X) ) ,7) ) |transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) +(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +(transpose(X,4) |shuffle(X) ) ) ) ,4) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) |(transpose(X,-5) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) |(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ) ,4) ,4) ,7) ) |arpeggio(step((step((shuffle(X) +(X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((((((echo(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4,6) +(((transpose(X,-5) |X) +transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +((((((X+X) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) |(X|X) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+X) |transpose(X,-5) ) +(X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) |echo(arpeggio(shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose((step(X,12) |((shuffle(X) |(X+X) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) +transpose(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(((shuffle((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +X) ) |(echo((transpose((echo(X,4,6) |step(X,12) ) ,-7) |shuffle(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ) ) ,4,6) |(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-5) |(transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) |(X+transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ) +(step(transpose(shuffle((transpose((X|X) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(X) |X) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) +((transpose(X,4) |step(((transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(step(step((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) +((arpeggio(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) +(((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) |transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((step(X,12) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) +shuffle(((X|X) |step(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) |(echo(step((transpose(((step(X,12) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,7) ) ,-5) +(transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose((((transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) |(transpose(X,4) |(X+X) ) ) +(shuffle(X) +transpose((X+arpeggio(X) ) ,7) ) ) |(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) |(step(X,12) +shuffle(X) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose((step(transpose((((((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +(((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) |(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) |X) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) +(transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) |step(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio((arpeggio((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) )
random seed used was 219137283

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