Editing King Crimson (section)

=== Compositional approaches ===
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2021}}
Several King Crimson compositional approaches remained constant throughout the band's lifetime. These included:

* The use of a gradually building rhythmic motif.<ref>{{cite news|url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADE15743A797D1&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|title = Rhythm at the heart of the expanded King Crimson|work = [[The Boston Globe]]|publisher = nl.newsbank.com|format = fee required|date = 3 June 1995|access-date = 24 June 2007|archive-date = 9 June 2011|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110609222045/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADE15743A797D1&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|url-status = live}}</ref> 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 {{music|time|5|4}} 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]]'').<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=126150|title = King Crimson a study in contrasts|author=Carter, Nick|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|publisher=jsonline.com|date = 17 March 2003| access-date =24 June 2007|quote = [...] the band manages to break free of all the aural fog, as it did on the rhythmically romping "Dangerous Curves" and "The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum," [...]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929133255/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=126150 |archive-date = 29 September 2007}}</ref>
* An instrumental piece (often embedded as a break in a song) in which the band played an ensemble passage of considerable rhythmic and [[polyrhythm]]ic complexity.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NATB&p_theme=natb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=108E7CEA36AE9273&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Don't miss this one from Cat Stevens: 'Majikat' is pure magic|author=Whitney, Bruce|work=[[North Adams Transcript]]|publisher=nl.newsbank.com|format=fee required|date=17 March 2005|access-date=24 June 2007|quote=[...] King Crimson-esque polyrhythm [...]|archive-date=9 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609224834/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NATB&p_theme=natb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=108E7CEA36AE9273&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=live}}</ref> An early example is the band's initial signature tune "[[21st Century Schizoid Man]]", but the "[[Larks' Tongues in Aspic (instrumental)|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]]''.{{sfn|Tamm|1990|p=64-65}}
*The juxtaposition of ornate tunes and ballads with unusual, often dissonant noises (such as "Cirkus" from ''[[Lizard (album)|Lizard]]'', "Ladies of the Road" from ''[[Islands (King Crimson album)|Islands]]'' and "Eyes Wide Open" from ''[[The Power to Believe]]'').
*The use of improvisation.
*Ascending note structure (e.g. "Facts of Life" and "THRAK").