Share your tips, how do you find information in the Z, which
Depends, if you mean how do we find info on THIS SITE, then I use the search engine, check new posts when I can, and when I'm feeling lazy say that I searched the forum and couldn't find anything, before asking what I want to know. 
Outside of the Z I usually rely on person<->person info trading. Usually if someone knows how to use certain programs or do certain things, who don't know how to do/use certain things that I know how to do/use I'll try and make some time to hang out with them and trade secrets.
4 instance, there's a couple of friends of mine that have built their own Studio from the ground up. They now have a full-fledged, for-hire studio in Downtown Chicago. They are damn good at what they do and I've recorded with them since they had a few pieces of gear and a Yamaha 01(whatever the model designation is) mixing console.
They bought Pulsar II's en mass but never really learned how to use them as they had tons of analog gear which they interfaced well with.
I know how to use the Pulsar systems fairly well (always learning of course), and decided to offer an info swap meet. I'll show them how to use the Pulsar's in exchange for some mastering tips (primarily how to get the most out of multiband compressors, and how to listen for phase issues by switching mono->stereo etc.). Since they have been on the verge of selling off the lot of their cards, this will be a fantastic date if we can get the time scheduled.
The point of all this is, you can read stuff from manuals, magazines, Google searches, whatever you can get your hands on, but there's nothing as powerful a learning tool as being handheld through stuff by someone who already understands the system; someone who you can answer questions, try and explain things in a different way. Even well written articles and tutorials have trouble doing this without becoming entirely tedious (like this post threatens to be.
Also, in-person info swapping not only ensures that you'll get info in person from someone who knows, but you'll also get in the habit of networking and the skills you are good at and share will inadvertantly be advertised in the circles in which you are trying to operate. I've gotten many recording gigs by just offering to sit down and show people how to use their (or friends) home studios. People see where they need to learn, they see what you know, and can proposition a recording session.
That's, in my opinion, the best way to get information.
Sam
Outside of the Z I usually rely on person<->person info trading. Usually if someone knows how to use certain programs or do certain things, who don't know how to do/use certain things that I know how to do/use I'll try and make some time to hang out with them and trade secrets.
4 instance, there's a couple of friends of mine that have built their own Studio from the ground up. They now have a full-fledged, for-hire studio in Downtown Chicago. They are damn good at what they do and I've recorded with them since they had a few pieces of gear and a Yamaha 01(whatever the model designation is) mixing console.
They bought Pulsar II's en mass but never really learned how to use them as they had tons of analog gear which they interfaced well with.
I know how to use the Pulsar systems fairly well (always learning of course), and decided to offer an info swap meet. I'll show them how to use the Pulsar's in exchange for some mastering tips (primarily how to get the most out of multiband compressors, and how to listen for phase issues by switching mono->stereo etc.). Since they have been on the verge of selling off the lot of their cards, this will be a fantastic date if we can get the time scheduled.
The point of all this is, you can read stuff from manuals, magazines, Google searches, whatever you can get your hands on, but there's nothing as powerful a learning tool as being handheld through stuff by someone who already understands the system; someone who you can answer questions, try and explain things in a different way. Even well written articles and tutorials have trouble doing this without becoming entirely tedious (like this post threatens to be
. Also, in-person info swapping not only ensures that you'll get info in person from someone who knows, but you'll also get in the habit of networking and the skills you are good at and share will inadvertantly be advertised in the circles in which you are trying to operate. I've gotten many recording gigs by just offering to sit down and show people how to use their (or friends) home studios. People see where they need to learn, they see what you know, and can proposition a recording session.
That's, in my opinion, the best way to get information.
Sam