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((transpose(echo(((transpose(step((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ,-7) |shuffle(arpeggio((transpose(X,4) +transpose(arpeggio(step(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) ) +shuffle(shuffle(((arpeggio(step((X+X) ,12) ) +transpose((step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) +((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) |transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,-7) ) +transpose((X|transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,4) |shuffle((transpose(((shuffle((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) |(transpose(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,-5) +X) ,7) ) ,4) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose((shuffle((X|X) ) +transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ) ) ) ,12) |(step(transpose(((transpose(((((((X|X) +transpose(transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,4) ) |transpose(transpose((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,-7) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(echo((X|transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose((X+(transpose(X,4) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle((arpeggio((arpeggio(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ) |transpose(transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) |(transpose(((step(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +transpose((step(X,12) |(transpose(X,4) |transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(step(step(X,12) ,12) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,-5) |transpose(((((((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |(transpose(X,-7) |transpose(X,4) ) ) +transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(X) |(X+X) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(step((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |arpeggio(X) ) ,12) ,7) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,-5) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((X|X) ,-5) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(step(transpose(transpose(step((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((transpose(transpose(echo((((((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose((X|X) ,4) +(X+X) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X|X) ) ,-5) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,-5) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(((shuffle(arpeggio(((X+X) +(X+X) ) ) ) |arpeggio((((step(transpose(X,4) ,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ) ) +transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose((((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ) ,-5) ,4) +transpose((((((shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((((((shuffle((arpeggio(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) +(transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) +arpeggio(((transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ,7) ) ) ) ) |((((transpose(step((X|transpose(X,-7) ) ,12) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((X+transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) |((transpose(X,-5) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(step(step(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ,12) ,-5) ,12) ,7) ) +(transpose(((transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(((echo(X,4,6) +(X|X) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose((step(transpose(((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,12) +transpose(step((shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,-7) ) ,-7) ) |transpose((transpose((X+X) ,-5) |transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ,-7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((((((step(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,12) +transpose((((X|X) +(X|X) ) |shuffle(X) ) ,7) ) +transpose((((step((X+X) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +X) ,7) ) +echo((((transpose(X,-5) |(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X|X) ,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,-5) +transpose(echo(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,-5) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((X+X) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,-5) ) +((echo(echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(shuffle((shuffle((X+X) ) +(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose(step((shuffle(X) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,12) ) ,12) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) |(transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) |(transpose(((((shuffle(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+(X|X) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) ) +transpose((shuffle(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) |(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-5) |(shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ) ) ) +arpeggio((transpose(arpeggio(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) |shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(shuffle(((((echo(((transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,-5) |(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-5) ,7) ) ) |echo(transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) +transpose((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ) ,4,6) +transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,-5) ) |(echo(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-5) ,4,6) |((((transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((X+X) +((X|X) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) |(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,4) ,4) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(step(transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) +(((step(X,12) |X) +transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ,-7) +echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(shuffle((shuffle(shuffle((X+X) ) ) |transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(((echo((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((step(((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,12) +transpose((transpose((((echo(X,4,6) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |((X+X) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) +((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) |((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) +X) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle(transpose(((((shuffle(X) |X) +(X|X) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) |(transpose(echo((transpose(transpose((((X+transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) +(((transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) ,4) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(X) ,7) ) +(transpose(X,-5) +arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) ) ) ) ,4,6) ,-5) +(((((echo(X,4,6) |transpose(X,4) ) |echo((X|X) ,4,6) ) +((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) |((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((echo(X,4,6) |X) ,-7) ,-5) ,12) ) +((((X|X) +transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) |transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ) +transpose(((echo((((((((((arpeggio(X) |(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(X) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle((transpose(shuffle(X) ,-5) |transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose((shuffle(transpose(X,-5) ) |step(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(step((echo(echo((X+transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4,6) |((shuffle(X) |(((transpose(X,-5) +X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((((X+X) +(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,-7) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) +(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +((X+transpose(X,12) ) |transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((((shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(echo((X|X) ,4,6) ,-7) ) ) +transpose(echo(arpeggio(X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(step((X|X) ,12) ,12) ) +transpose((shuffle(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ) |((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) |transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) ,4) ) ,4,6) +transpose(transpose((transpose(((transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(((X|X) +(X|X) ) ) ,4) ) +(shuffle(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(((X+X) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(echo((transpose(transpose(transpose(step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose((transpose(((step(X,12) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) |arpeggio((X|X) ) ) ,4) ,-5) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(shuffle((((transpose(((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) |((shuffle((X+X) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +X) ,4) ) ) |shuffle(transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,4) ,4) ) ) |transpose((((X+X) +X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ,4) ) ) ,-5) |transpose(step(arpeggio((((transpose(((X|transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) |echo(step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ,4,6) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) ,-7) ,7) ) |((transpose(transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,4) ,4) |(echo(X,4,6) +transpose(((((X|X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|X) |transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) +step(((step(step(X,12) ,12) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ,4) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-7) ,7) )
random seed used was 207810083

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