The use of a gradually building rhythmic motif. These include "The Devil's Triangle" (an adaptation and variation on the Gustav Holst piece Mars played by the original King Crimson, based on a complex pulse in time over which a skirling melody is played on a Mellotron), 1973's "The Talking Drum" (from Larks' Tongues in Aspic), 1984's "Industry" (from Three of a Perfect Pair) and 2003's "Dangerous Curves" (from The Power to Believe). An instrumental piece (often embedded as a break in a song) in which the band played an ensemble passage of considerable rhythmic and polyrhythmic complexity. An early example is the band's initial signature tune "21st Century Schizoid Man", but the "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" series of compositions (as well as pieces of similar intent such as "THRAK" and "Level Five") went deeper into polyrhythmic complexity, delving into rhythms that wander into and out of general synchronisation with each other, but with all 'finishing' together through polyrhythmic synchronisation. These polyrhythms were particularly abundant in the band's 1980s work, which contained gamelan-like rhythmic layers and continual overlaid staccato patterns in counterpoint. The composition of difficult solo passages for individual instruments, such as the guitar break on "Fracture" on Starless and Bible Black. The juxtaposition of ornate tunes and ballads with unusual, often dissonant noises (such as "Cirkus" from Lizard, "Ladies of the Road" from Islands and "Eyes Wide Open" from The Power to Believe). The use of improvisation. Ascending note structure (e.g. "Facts of Life" and "THRAK").
thE Use OF a graduaLLY building RHyTHmIC motif. tHEsE InClUDE "thE deVIl's TrIAnglE" (An adAptaTIoN anD vAriaTIon on the GUstaV holst pIece Mars PlayEd by the OrIginal King cRiMSON, baSeD on a compleX PuLSE iN time oVEr whIcH A SkIrlinG MeLOdy Is played On a MelLotrOn), 1973's "the taLking drUM" (from larKS' tOnGUES iN aspic), 1984'S "industrY" (fRom thRee OF A PerFeCT pair) ANd 2003'S "DAnGerouS Curves" (froM the powER to bELieve). an inSTRumentaL piece (Often embeddEd aS a brEaK iN a Song) in wHicH the band plaYed aN ENsEmblE PassaGE OF CoNsiderabLE RHythMic And polyrhYThmic ComplexItY. an earLy example is the bAnd'S initial SiGNATUrE tuNE "21st centUry scHIzOid man", bUT ThE "laRks' tOngUes iN aspiC" series Of comPositIons (as welL aS piEces oF SimiLAR INTENT SUcH aS "ThraK" anD "LeveL FiVe") went deeper into polyrhYThmIc complexity, DelVIng IntO RhYthms that wander into aNd OuT Of geNeral syNChronisatIOn WiTh each other, but WiTh AlL 'finiShing' ToGetHEr THROuGH polYrHyThmiC synchRoNIsATioN. thESe polyrhyThms weRe PArtiCUlaRly aBUndaNT iN thE baNd's 1980s work, which containeD Gamelan-LIkE rhythmIc layERs and continUAl overlaId StAccato PatTErns In couNterpOINt. The compoSItioN oF DiffIcUlt solO passAgES For iNdIviDUal iNsTruments, SUcH As The GUiTar BREAK on "fraCture" on staRLEss and biBle blAck. the jUxTapositIOn of OrNaTe Tunes anD baLlaDs wiTH unUSual, oFTeN diSSonant noiseS (sucH as "CirKUs" from lIzard, "ladiEs of The ROad" FrOm IsLaNds and "eyes wiDe oPen" frOM the Power tO belieVe). thE use oF improvisatIon. AScenDing Note stRucturE (e.g. "FACts of life" and "ThraK").