diff --git a/include/LadspaControl.h b/include/LadspaControl.h
index 1b0eae471..8180ce721 100644
--- a/include/LadspaControl.h
+++ b/include/LadspaControl.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2008-2014 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
  * Copyright (c) 2006-2008 Danny McRae <khjklujn/at/users.sourceforge.net>
- * 
+ *
  * This file is part of Linux MultiMedia Studio - http://lmms.sourceforge.net
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
  *
  */
 
-#ifndef _LADSPA_CONTROL_H
-#define _LADSPA_CONTROL_H
+#ifndef LADSPA_CONTROL_H
+#define LADSPA_CONTROL_H
 
 #include <ladspa.h>
 
@@ -70,8 +70,7 @@ public:
 		return m_port;
 	}
 
-	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument & _doc, QDomElement & _parent,
-								const QString & _name );
+	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument & _doc, QDomElement & _parent, const QString & _name );
 	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement & _this, const QString & _name );
 	inline virtual QString nodeName() const
 	{
@@ -90,6 +89,19 @@ protected slots:
 	void tempoKnobChanged();
 	void linkStateChanged();
 
+protected:
+	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument& doc, QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(doc)
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
+	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
+
 
 private:
 	bool m_link;
diff --git a/include/SerializingObject.h b/include/SerializingObject.h
index e647ad31f..28442e2bd 100644
--- a/include/SerializingObject.h
+++ b/include/SerializingObject.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public:
 
 	void setHook( SerializingObjectHook * _hook );
 
-	SerializingObjectHook * getHook()
+	SerializingObjectHook* hook()
 	{
 		return m_hook;
 	}
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ public:
 
 protected:
 	// to be implemented by sub-objects
-	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument & _doc, QDomElement & _this );
-	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement & _this );
+	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument& doc, QDomElement& element ) = 0;
+	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement& element ) = 0;
 
 
 private:
diff --git a/include/TempoSyncKnobModel.h b/include/TempoSyncKnobModel.h
index 54a2befe6..0bb9c261f 100644
--- a/include/TempoSyncKnobModel.h
+++ b/include/TempoSyncKnobModel.h
@@ -53,11 +53,8 @@ public:
 				const QString & _display_name = QString() );
 	virtual ~TempoSyncKnobModel();
 
-	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument & _doc,
-						QDomElement & _this,
-						const QString & _name );
-	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement & _this,
-						const QString & _name );
+	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument & _doc, QDomElement & _this, const QString& name = "value" );
+	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement & _this, const QString& name = "value" );
 
 	TempoSyncMode syncMode() const
 	{
diff --git a/include/track.h b/include/track.h
index 5fc92f2f2..273c77710 100644
--- a/include/track.h
+++ b/include/track.h
@@ -277,6 +277,17 @@ protected:
 		return "trackcontentwidget";
 	}
 
+	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument& doc, QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(doc)
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
+	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
 	virtual void undoStep( JournalEntry & _je );
 	virtual void redoStep( JournalEntry & _je );
 
@@ -544,6 +555,17 @@ protected:
 	virtual void undoStep( JournalEntry & _je );
 	virtual void redoStep( JournalEntry & _je );
 
+	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument& doc, QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(doc)
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
+	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
 	virtual QString nodeName() const
 	{
 		return "trackview";
diff --git a/plugins/ladspa_browser/ladspa_browser.h b/plugins/ladspa_browser/ladspa_browser.h
index 5d2a9b943..b105862da 100644
--- a/plugins/ladspa_browser/ladspa_browser.h
+++ b/plugins/ladspa_browser/ladspa_browser.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * ladspa_browser.h - dialog to display information about installed LADSPA
- *                    plugins
+ *					plugins
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2006-2008 Danny McRae <khjklujn/at/users.sourceforge.net>
  * Copyright (c) 2009 Tobias Doerffel <tobydox/at/users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -68,6 +68,18 @@ public:
 
 	virtual QString nodeName() const;
 
+	virtual void saveSettings( QDomDocument& doc, QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(doc)
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
+	virtual void loadSettings( const QDomElement& element )
+	{
+		Q_UNUSED(element)
+	}
+
+
 } ;
 
 
diff --git a/src/core/SerializingObject.cpp b/src/core/SerializingObject.cpp
index 2ed0e1c7a..da1b7a5cb 100644
--- a/src/core/SerializingObject.cpp
+++ b/src/core/SerializingObject.cpp
@@ -47,41 +47,46 @@ SerializingObject::~SerializingObject()
 
 
 
-QDomElement SerializingObject::saveState( QDomDocument & _doc,
-							QDomElement & _parent )
+QDomElement SerializingObject::saveState( QDomDocument& doc, QDomElement& parent )
 {
-	QDomElement _this = _doc.createElement( nodeName() );
-	_parent.appendChild( _this );
-	saveSettings( _doc, _this );
-	if( getHook() )
+	QDomElement element = doc.createElement( nodeName() );
+	parent.appendChild( element );
+
+	saveSettings( doc, element );
+
+	if( hook() )
 	{
-		getHook()->saveSettings( _doc, _this );
+		hook()->saveSettings( doc, element );
 	}
-	return _this;
+
+	return element;
 }
 
 
 
 
-void SerializingObject::restoreState( const QDomElement & _this )
+void SerializingObject::restoreState( const QDomElement& element )
 {
-	loadSettings( _this );
-	if( getHook() )
+	loadSettings( element );
+
+	if( hook() )
 	{
-		getHook()->loadSettings( _this );
+		hook()->loadSettings( element );
 	}
 }
 
 
 
 
-void SerializingObject::setHook( SerializingObjectHook * _hook )
+void SerializingObject::setHook( SerializingObjectHook* hook )
 {
 	if( m_hook )
 	{
 		m_hook->m_hookedIn = NULL;
 	}
-	m_hook = _hook;
+
+	m_hook = hook;
+
 	if( m_hook )
 	{
 		m_hook->m_hookedIn = this;
@@ -91,16 +96,18 @@ void SerializingObject::setHook( SerializingObjectHook * _hook )
 
 
 
-void SerializingObject::saveSettings( QDomDocument &/* _doc*/,
-						QDomElement &/* _this*/ )
+void SerializingObject::saveSettings( QDomDocument& doc, QDomElement& element )
 {
+	Q_UNUSED(doc)
+	Q_UNUSED(element)
 }
 
 
 
 
-void SerializingObject::loadSettings( const QDomElement & /* _this*/ )
+void SerializingObject::loadSettings( const QDomElement& element )
 {
+	Q_UNUSED(element)
 }