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 19 generations the expression "X" became this:
((shuffle((echo(transpose(((echo(((echo(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,4,6) +((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose(transpose(echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(step(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(step(transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) |((transpose(X,4) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(echo((((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(shuffle((arpeggio(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) +((X+transpose(X,7) ) |(X+X) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) |(((((echo((((shuffle(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) +transpose(step((transpose(X,-7) |(echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,4) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(((((X+transpose(shuffle((echo(X,4,6) +shuffle((X|X) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) |echo((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(echo(step(arpeggio(transpose((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose(shuffle((shuffle(((X|X) |step(X,12) ) ) |(X+X) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose(transpose((((X+X) +transpose(transpose((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((arpeggio(shuffle(((transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,-7) +(transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) +shuffle(((((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +step((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) |((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,12) ) |((shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ) +transpose((((transpose(transpose(arpeggio((transpose(X,-5) |X) ) ,-7) ,4) |X) +transpose(shuffle(shuffle((X|X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(echo((transpose(X,4) +(X|X) ) ,4,6) ) +step(shuffle(shuffle(shuffle(X) ) ) ,12) ) +((transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) |echo(echo(((step(X,12) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) |X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((step(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,12) |(transpose(X,-7) |(((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((((step(X,12) |echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,4,6) +echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(shuffle(((step(transpose(arpeggio(echo(echo(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,-7) ,12) +transpose((transpose(((echo(step((X+(X+X) ) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose((echo((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) |shuffle(X) ) ,4,6) +((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((((X+shuffle(X) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X|X) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(step(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) ,-5) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +arpeggio(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(((((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +step(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(((((((step((X|X) ,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((((((X+arpeggio(X) ) +transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,-5) +echo(step(X,12) ,4,6) ) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(shuffle(((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|echo(((X|X) +X) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(((step(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(echo((((transpose((step(X,12) |((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-5) |((X+transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ) +transpose(arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,12) ) +(((transpose(echo(echo(transpose((step(shuffle(shuffle(shuffle(transpose(echo((((X+X) +transpose(shuffle((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ) ) ,12) +transpose(step(((echo(transpose(shuffle(transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) +transpose(echo(shuffle(shuffle(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +step(transpose(echo(arpeggio(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(arpeggio((echo((step((transpose(echo(echo(arpeggio(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose(((shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) +transpose((step(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +((((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) |(echo(X,4,6) |X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((arpeggio((X|X) ) +step(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) |shuffle((arpeggio(transpose(step((step(echo((((X+X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,12) +shuffle((X|X) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ) ,4,6) +(step(shuffle(echo((((echo(X,4,6) |X) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) +echo((transpose(echo(transpose((X+step(X,12) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) |transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio((transpose(((arpeggio(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) +transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose((X|X) ,4) |echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(echo(arpeggio(shuffle((X|X) ) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) |transpose((echo((((((echo((transpose(step((X+echo((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,12) ,4) |transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(arpeggio(X) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4,6) |(transpose(arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) ,-5) +X) ) +transpose((transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((echo(((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,-7) ) +transpose((step(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose((echo((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) +X) ,4,6) +echo(arpeggio((X|echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(echo(arpeggio((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +arpeggio(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((shuffle(echo(echo(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4,6) ) +transpose(echo(step((X|X) ,12) ,4,6) ,7) ) +((shuffle(step(shuffle(X) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,7) ) +shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((step((((((((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(step(step((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,12) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,7) ) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,-7) ,7) ) +transpose((((transpose((shuffle(X) |X) ,4) +step(arpeggio((X+X) ) ,12) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(echo(step(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ,12) ,4,6) ,4) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((step(step(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ,12) |arpeggio((((transpose(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) +echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(step(step(((step(X,12) |transpose((((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ) +shuffle(((transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(shuffle((((X+X) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(shuffle(X) ) |shuffle(X) ) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(echo((transpose(shuffle(transpose(shuffle(shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) ,-7) +transpose((echo(((transpose(((step(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,12) +((((X+X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) +transpose(((transpose(step(X,12) ,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) +transpose(echo((echo(step(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio((X+((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) +transpose(((shuffle(echo(step((arpeggio((transpose(X,-7) |X) ) +(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) ,4,6) ) +transpose(transpose(echo(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(((((arpeggio(X) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) +transpose((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) |echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) +transpose((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ) )
random seed used was 121005832

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