Tap your foot along with the song to find the steady beat.
Tap more forcefully on the beats that feel strong, while tapping lightly on the beats that feel weak.
Take note of which beats are strong and which beats are weak.
Decide if your pattern of strong and weak beats fits comfortably with the song. If it feels awkward, try experimenting with differing patterns of weak and strong beats.
Once you have found a comfortable pattern, add together the first set of strong and weak beats. For instance, 1 strong beat for every 3 weak beats tells you that your meter is in 4.
Identify if the meter is in 2, 3, or 4. If it is, then the song is in Simple meter.
Determine if the meter is in 6, 9, or 12. These songs are in Compound meter.
Assess the meter of the song. If the meter changes often, or is a mix of Simple and Compound meter, then the song is said to be Asymmetrical.