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:
(step(step(((transpose(arpeggio(transpose((echo(transpose((((X+X) +X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) +arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+(X+X) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(((((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,-7) ,12) ) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ) +transpose((transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +(X+echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) |arpeggio(((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) +echo(echo((transpose(X,-5) +step(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ) ) +(transpose(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-7) |step(((transpose(step(X,12) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) ,12) ) ) +(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(echo((echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4,6) +((((X|transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +echo(step((echo(X,4,6) |(arpeggio(X) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) |echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose((transpose(transpose(step((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ,-5) +shuffle((arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,12) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) +transpose(((arpeggio(((((shuffle((transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-5) +X) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((((((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+X) ,-7) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) |step(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) |X) +(X+X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) |((X+X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|(X+X) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) |transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ) ,4) ,-5) ) +shuffle(step(transpose((arpeggio(echo(((X+transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose((transpose(X,4) +shuffle(X) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(((((transpose((echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) +transpose((arpeggio(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) +(X+shuffle(X) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(step(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose((((((echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) +transpose(X,-5) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +X) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose((((X+X) |(X+X) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ) +((((X+X) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +(X|(X+X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose((((shuffle((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose((transpose(X,4) +X) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +X) ,7) ) |step((shuffle((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ) +((shuffle(shuffle(X) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X+X) |X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(shuffle((X+(shuffle(X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(((((step(step((X|(X+X) ) ,12) ,12) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(((X|transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,12) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(transpose(((((X|X) |X) |step(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((step(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,12) ) +((((transpose(arpeggio((((((X+transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +(X|X) ) |(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) ,4) +step(step((step((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose((((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) +arpeggio(X) ) |((step(shuffle(X) ,12) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +(transpose((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(((((transpose((((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ,-7) +transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ) +shuffle(echo(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ) +((transpose(X,-5) +((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) |step(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) ) ) ,-5) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) |shuffle(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(step(shuffle(((echo(arpeggio(echo((X+X) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) |(shuffle(shuffle(echo((step(X,12) |(((X+X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) |(shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ) ) ,4,6) ) ) +(((transpose(X,-7) +X) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) |transpose((X+X) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,-7) +(transpose((X|X) ,-5) |transpose(((X+X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ) +((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) |((X+transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio(X) ) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) +((X+X) |X) ) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,7) ) |step((transpose((transpose(((((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +step(X,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(((X+X) +(X+transpose((transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((((X+X) |transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X|X) |arpeggio(X) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) +step(step(transpose(((transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((shuffle((shuffle(X) |(arpeggio(X) +X) ) ) +transpose(step(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) ,12) ) ,4) |(((shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(X,4) +(transpose(X,4) |transpose(X,-5) ) ) |arpeggio(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) |arpeggio((step(transpose(((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +X) ,4) ,12) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+X) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ) +((((((transpose((transpose(X,4) +X) ,-5) |transpose(arpeggio((echo((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +X) ) ,-7) ) +(arpeggio((transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+X) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) |shuffle((transpose(X,-7) |X) ) ) ) +shuffle((((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,12) ) +arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((((shuffle((X+(X|X) ) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,-5) ) +(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,4) |transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(((X+step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((echo(transpose((shuffle(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4,6) +((transpose(((transpose((((X|X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-5) +step((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(((step((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +step(X,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +arpeggio((X+X) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(echo(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+X) +step((X+X) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(((arpeggio((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) ,4) +transpose(echo((X+arpeggio(X) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ) |arpeggio(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) ) |transpose(transpose((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) +step(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4) ,-7) ,4) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) )
random seed used was 224589907

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