Thanks Rick. I'll keep at it a while longer.

The Gmaj7 you describe doesn't feel that hard (unless I'm also supposed to be fretting a G with my thumb) - though I couldn't get to it quickly in the middle of a song, I can already play it clearly and painlessly in isolation.

Not sure I understand this: "Run your index and middle finger up and down the back of your guitar neck..to the point where you can really feel them stretching." Do you mean putting the back of the guitar neck in the V between my fingers then pulling my hand up towards the body? Or trying to make my fingers do "splits" (sideways, or one front one back?) on a surface?

Trying to learn the thumbed F capoed halfway up the neck: good idea, bad, or indifferent?

The hardest thing I'll ever have to learn on guitar, eh? That's encouraging in a way, and discouraging in a way. From your opening post, I had the idea that it was an easier alternative to a barre F.

Thanks again, Marion