I live in Arkansas. Our choices are USG, proform and national gypsum.
USG offers allpurpose, +3, mid-weight,and topping.
Proform offers all-purpose and lite.
National gypsum has something called "easy finish"--whatever that is...
I run USG all-purpose through my northstar bazuka. It bonds great and has a lot of glue.
I coat my corner bead with USG +3 (both coats).
I box(8" ,10") 1st , 2nd coats with the +3 and spot 2 coats screws with it also.
I angle box angles with with 1/2 and 1/2 all-purpose , +3.
Off or splay beads are plastic and once they're stapled on, I use dura-bond 45 minute brown bag to apply 1st coat, then 2 coats +3.
I think the shrinkage you all are talking about is due to how thin the mud is. Of course, more water to thin the mud will cause it to shrink more.
And the blisters don't care if there is more glue in the mud or not. If there is no mud behind the tape, you're gonna have blisters.
About me... Im 35. I have started at 14. (step-dad) put me to work. I have done it his way the whole time. He got good results and so do I. I have worked alone since 2006 and do okay with it. Largest house done solo was 339 sheets (12' Sheetrock) with some 11' ceilings, 8' up-stairs 9' everywhere else. Took 14 days.
I avoid coating with all-purpose since it sucks to sand it.
Oh. When I spray orange-peel, knock-down or anything besides acoustic, I use the same mud I tape with. I thin it down to paint consistency and STRIAN it through a paint strainer to remove the chunks.