Thanks for all your help guys - ok, I got the manual out last night and it seems you can only use the shuffle when working in two out of the four available scales.

So I programmed in some beats on one of the correct scales…and…I still can't hear it do anything!!! It MAYBE makes the tiniest of differences when put to 7 (the highest it allows), but then I could just be imagining that as I'm listening for it too much.

Which is weird as I've heard lots of peeps say that the shuffle function is really one of the best things about the beast. And yeh, I'm still sync'ing everything to the 909, not using it via midi.

I'm now wondering if you'll only get the effect with certain rhythm patterns - as I say I couldn't really notice it but was only using a 4/4 kick and off-beat hi-hat. Maybe a more advanced rhythm might let you hear it more?

It says in the manual that it gives bounce to the pattern - dagnamit I want bouncing beats!!!