Having just explored how changing the tempo of a piece written in 3/x can change the classfication between compound and simple, it should be no surprise that aural interpretation of meter is a subjective process. Many factors play a role in determining how a listener perceives a meter including tempo, accented beats, melodic patterns, and previously established “grooves”.
The examples on the following page will help you explore a few of the many ways in which a composer or performer can alter the perception of meter.