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:
Seed:
Randomize seed:
Generations:
Phrase for X:
# of Tracks:
Randomize patches:
 

Results may not appear for a few seconds.
Be patient!
Do you like this result? Do you want to let other people listen to it?

Save this one in the
Tune Trove!


See what's already
in the Tune Trove!

After 20 generations the expression "X" became this:
((transpose(((transpose(((transpose((transpose(transpose(transpose(echo((((echo(X,4,6) |X) +transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4) ,-7) +((X|(step(X,12) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ) +transpose((transpose((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,7) ) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(((shuffle(echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) +(((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) |(echo(transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) ,4,6) +((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) +X) +(transpose(X,-7) |X) ) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,7) ) ) ) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-7) +arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ) ,-7) ,4) |(X+transpose((echo(transpose(X,-7) ,4,6) +(step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) +transpose((((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) |X) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +(shuffle((((arpeggio(shuffle((shuffle(X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) ) ) +transpose(step((transpose(step(arpeggio(X) ,12) ,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,12) ,4) ) +echo(transpose(transpose(shuffle(echo(X,4,6) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,4,6) ) +transpose((arpeggio(transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +X) |(X+echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,-7) ) +arpeggio(arpeggio(transpose((shuffle(X) |(X+transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ) ) ,7) ) ) |transpose((transpose(((X+transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +transpose((transpose((arpeggio((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) ) |transpose((X+(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,-5) ) ,4) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(echo(((X+transpose(X,12) ) |X) ,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-7) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,4) ) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,-7) ) ,-7) ,-5) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-5) ) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((((transpose(echo((((((((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,12) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) +(arpeggio(X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,-7) |X) +transpose((((X+X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(transpose((X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((transpose(((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,-7) +transpose((echo((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4,6) +transpose((shuffle(step(X,12) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo((transpose(X,4) +transpose(step(X,12) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) ,4) +transpose(transpose((arpeggio(transpose(step(((X+X) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ,12) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose((echo(((X+X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,12) ) ,4,6) |((((X+transpose(X,7) ) |transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio(X) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose((arpeggio((transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-5) +transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,-7) ) |transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ) ,7) ) ) +step(transpose((transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) |((X|X) +transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((transpose(transpose(echo(((X+transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,-5) +transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +echo(X,4,6) ) +transpose((X|X) ,7) ) ,-5) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ,-5) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose((((((arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(arpeggio(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X+X) |(X+transpose((X+X) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,-5) ,4,6) ,12) ) ,4) +transpose(shuffle(step((transpose((arpeggio(transpose(step((((step(transpose(X,-7) ,12) +transpose(((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(X,-7) ) ,7) ) +transpose(X,-5) ) ,12) ,-7) ) +((((transpose(arpeggio((((X+transpose(X,7) ) +transpose((X+X) ,7) ) |transpose(X,-7) ) ) ,-5) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +shuffle(X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(((X|(arpeggio(X) +echo(X,4,6) ) ) +echo((X|(X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4,6) ) ,7) ) +shuffle((shuffle((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) +step(X,12) ) ) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(shuffle(shuffle(step(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(step(transpose((echo((transpose(X,-5) +transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,7) ) ,4,6) +(transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,12) ,-5) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,-7) +shuffle(step(transpose(transpose(step(arpeggio((transpose(arpeggio(X) ,-7) +transpose((X+X) ,-5) ) ) ,12) ,-5) ,-7) ,12) ) ) ,12) ) ,7) ) +((step((transpose(transpose((((((((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(((X+transpose((transpose(X,4) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ,4) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X|((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose(((shuffle(X) |(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) +(arpeggio(step(X,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,-7) ) ) ,4) ) +transpose(echo(transpose((shuffle(X) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) +(((((transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,-5) ,4) |transpose((echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) +transpose(((step(echo(X,4,6) ,12) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,4) ) ,7) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(step(step((X+X) ,12) ,12) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) ) +transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((((transpose(((X+transpose(X,12) ) +(X+X) ) ,-7) +step(X,12) ) +transpose((step(X,12) +transpose((X+X) ,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose((transpose(transpose((X|X) ,-7) ,-7) |echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,-7) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((X|X) ) ,4) ,-7) ) ) ,4) ,4) |transpose(arpeggio(((transpose((arpeggio(transpose(transpose(step(X,12) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,7) ) ,4) |transpose((((echo(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4,6) |(X+X) ) +((X+transpose((X|X) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,-7) ,12) ) ) +transpose(step(((transpose(X,-7) +transpose(transpose(echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ,-5) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,4) ,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ,7) ) ,4) ) +(((((X+X) |transpose(X,-5) ) |(X+X) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +echo(echo(X,4,6) ,4,6) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,7) ) ) ) ,4) ) ,12) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(transpose(transpose(transpose(step(((((echo(echo(transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,-7) ,4,6) ,4,6) +transpose(((X+(X+X) ) |(X|X) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(shuffle((((X|X) +transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,12) ) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ) ,-5) ,7) ) +((((X+transpose((((X|X) +transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(echo(transpose(X,4) ,4,6) ,7) ) |(X+X) ) ) |transpose(((transpose((X+X) ,-7) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +step(X,12) ) +transpose((X|X) ,12) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) ,12) ,4) ,-5) ,-7) ,4) ) ,12) ) +echo(transpose(transpose(transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(arpeggio(transpose(((X+transpose(X,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) ,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(shuffle((step((((step((((X+X) +transpose(echo(X,4,6) ,12) ) +(X+transpose((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,7) ) ) ,12) +transpose((((X+transpose((X+X) ,4) ) +transpose(X,7) ) +transpose(((arpeggio(transpose(X,-7) ) +transpose(arpeggio(transpose(X,4) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) ,7) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(transpose(arpeggio((X+transpose(X,12) ) ) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) |transpose(transpose(echo(shuffle(X) ,4,6) ,-5) ,-5) ) ) ,7) ) |(((transpose(echo((((X|(X+transpose(X,7) ) ) +transpose((X+transpose(transpose(X,-5) ,12) ) ,7) ) +transpose((transpose(transpose(X,4) ,4) +transpose(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ,12) ) ,12) ) ,4,6) ,4) |step(transpose(echo(shuffle(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,-7) ) ,4,6) ,-7) ,12) ) +((shuffle((arpeggio(X) +transpose((echo(X,4,6) |(X+X) ) ,7) ) ) +transpose((transpose((X+(X+X) ) ,-5) +arpeggio(transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,4) ) ) ,12) ) |transpose(transpose(((step((X+transpose(X,7) ) ,12) |step((X|X) ,12) ) +(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(((transpose(X,4) +transpose(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) +step(transpose(X,4) ,12) ) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(transpose((X+transpose(X,12) ) ,4) ,-5) ,7) ) +transpose(shuffle(arpeggio(transpose(X,-5) ) ) ,-5) ) ) ,-5) ,4) ) ) |(transpose((transpose(transpose(arpeggio(arpeggio(X) ) ,-7) ,-7) +transpose((transpose((X+X) ,4) +transpose((step(arpeggio(X) ,12) |echo(transpose(X,-5) ,4,6) ) ,12) ) ,4) ) ,-7) |transpose(transpose(((transpose((X|X) ,-5) +transpose(((shuffle(X) +transpose(shuffle(X) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose(X,-7) ,7) ) ,12) ) +transpose((((X+transpose(step(X,12) ,4) ) +transpose(transpose((X+X) ,4) ,7) ) +transpose((X|X) ,-5) ) ,12) ) ,4) ,-7) ) ) ) ,-7) ,4) ,-7) ,4,6) ) )
random seed used was 231341508

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