diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/audio/ShapeAudioPlayer.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/audio/ShapeAudioPlayer.java
index e5db2ad..4a2732d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/audio/ShapeAudioPlayer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/audio/ShapeAudioPlayer.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import javax.sound.midi.ShortMessage;
 import javax.sound.sampled.AudioFormat;
 import javax.sound.sampled.AudioInputStream;
 
+import static sh.ball.gui.Gui.audioPlayer;
 import static sh.ball.gui.Gui.logger;
 
 public class ShapeAudioPlayer implements AudioPlayer<List<Shape>> {
@@ -418,6 +419,17 @@ public class ShapeAudioPlayer implements AudioPlayer<List<Shape>> {
     effects.removeIf(e -> e.type == type);
   }
 
+  // selects or deselects the given audio effect
+  public void updateEffect(EffectType type, boolean checked, SettableEffect effect) {
+    if (type != null) {
+      if (checked) {
+        audioPlayer.addEffect(type, effect);
+      } else {
+        audioPlayer.removeEffect(type);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void read(byte[] buffer) throws InterruptedException {
     Listener listener = new Listener(buffer);
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/components/EffectComponentGroupController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/components/EffectComponentGroupController.java
index f339a00..5d8cca5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/components/EffectComponentGroupController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/components/EffectComponentGroupController.java
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ public class EffectComponentGroupController implements Initializable, SubControl
     return List.of(model.getLabel());
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
+    return List.of(model);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public List<Element> save(Document document) {
     Element checkBox = document.createElement(model.getLabel());
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/EffectsController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/EffectsController.java
index 146e90b..15dc415 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/EffectsController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/EffectsController.java
@@ -124,13 +124,7 @@ public class EffectsController implements Initializable, SubController {
 
   // selects or deselects the given audio effect
   public void updateEffect(EffectType type, boolean checked, SettableEffect effect) {
-    if (type != null) {
-      if (checked) {
-        audioPlayer.addEffect(type, effect);
-      } else {
-        audioPlayer.removeEffect(type);
-      }
-    }
+    audioPlayer.updateEffect(type, checked, effect);
 
     if (type == EffectType.DEPTH_3D) {
       Platform.runLater(() ->
@@ -242,7 +236,8 @@ public class EffectsController implements Initializable, SubController {
     executor.setScript(script);
   }
 
-  private List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
+  @Override
+  public List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
     return List.of(
       vectorCancelling,
       bitCrush,
@@ -281,8 +276,6 @@ public class EffectsController implements Initializable, SubController {
 
   @Override
   public List<Element> save(Document document) {
-    Element element = document.createElement("checkBoxes");
-    effects().forEach(effect -> effect.save(document).forEach(element::appendChild));
     Element translation = document.createElement("translation");
     Element x = document.createElement("x");
     x.appendChild(document.createTextNode(translationXTextField.getText()));
@@ -296,13 +289,11 @@ public class EffectsController implements Initializable, SubController {
     translation.appendChild(x);
     translation.appendChild(y);
     translation.appendChild(ellipse);
-    return List.of(element, translation, depthFunction);
+    return List.of(translation, depthFunction);
   }
 
   @Override
   public void load(Element root) {
-    Element element = (Element) root.getElementsByTagName("checkBoxes").item(0);
-    effects().forEach(effect -> effect.load(element));
     Element translation = (Element) root.getElementsByTagName("translation").item(0);
     Element x = (Element) translation.getElementsByTagName("x").item(0);
     Element y = (Element) translation.getElementsByTagName("y").item(0);
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/GeneralController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/GeneralController.java
index 294744e..4b22123 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/GeneralController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/GeneralController.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import javafx.stage.Stage;
 import javafx.util.Duration;
 import org.w3c.dom.Document;
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
+import sh.ball.gui.components.EffectComponentGroup;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -292,6 +293,11 @@ public class GeneralController implements Initializable, SubController {
     return List.of("octave", "micVolume");
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
+    return List.of();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public List<Element> save(Document document) {
     Element element = document.createElement("general");
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ImageController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ImageController.java
index 891e846..3e1f5d2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ImageController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ImageController.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import javafx.scene.shape.SVGPath;
 import org.w3c.dom.Document;
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
 import sh.ball.audio.midi.MidiNote;
+import sh.ball.gui.components.EffectComponentGroup;
 
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -72,6 +73,11 @@ public class ImageController implements Initializable, SubController {
     return List.of("frequency");
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
+    return List.of();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public List<Element> save(Document document) {
     return List.of(document.createElement("null"));
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/LuaController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/LuaController.java
index 86c69d8..be4da29 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/LuaController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/LuaController.java
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ public class LuaController implements Initializable, SubController {
     this.mainController = mainController;
   }
 
-  private List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
+  @Override
+  public List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
     return List.of(luaA, luaB, luaC, luaD, luaE);
   }
 
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ public class LuaController implements Initializable, SubController {
       effect.setAnimator(new EffectAnimator(EffectAnimator.DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE, new ConsumerEffect(value -> updateLuaVariable(effect.getId(), value))))
     );
 
-    effects().forEach(effect -> effect.setEffectUpdater(this::updateEffect));
+    effects().forEach(effect -> effect.setEffectUpdater(audioPlayer::updateEffect));
 
     resetStepCounterButton.setOnAction(e -> mainController.resetLuaStep());
   }
@@ -86,34 +87,14 @@ public class LuaController implements Initializable, SubController {
 
   @Override
   public List<Element> save(Document document) {
-    Element element = document.createElement("luaController");
-    effects().forEach(effect -> effect.save(document).forEach(element::appendChild));
-    return List.of(element);
+    return List.of(document.createElement("null"));
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void load(Element root) {
-    Element element = (Element) root.getElementsByTagName("luaController").item(0);
-    if (element != null) {
-      effects().forEach(effect -> effect.load(element));
-    } else {
-      effects().forEach(effect -> effect.setAnimationType(AnimationType.STATIC));
-    }
-  }
+  public void load(Element root) {}
 
   @Override
   public void micNotAvailable() {
     effects().forEach(EffectComponentGroup::micNotAvailable);
   }
-
-  // selects or deselects the given audio effect
-  public void updateEffect(EffectType type, boolean checked, SettableEffect effect) {
-    if (type != null) {
-      if (checked) {
-        audioPlayer.addEffect(type, effect);
-      } else {
-        audioPlayer.removeEffect(type);
-      }
-    }
-  }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/MainController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/MainController.java
index 0c3d973..3004928 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/MainController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/MainController.java
@@ -48,12 +48,14 @@ import javax.xml.transform.TransformerFactory;
 import javax.xml.transform.dom.DOMSource;
 import javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamResult;
 
+import sh.ball.audio.effect.AnimationType;
 import sh.ball.audio.engine.*;
 import sh.ball.audio.midi.MidiListener;
 import sh.ball.audio.midi.MidiNote;
 import sh.ball.engine.ObjectServer;
 import sh.ball.engine.ObjectSet;
 import sh.ball.gui.Gui;
+import sh.ball.gui.components.EffectComponentGroup;
 import sh.ball.oscilloscope.ByteWebSocketServer;
 import sh.ball.parser.FileParser;
 import sh.ball.parser.lua.LuaParser;
@@ -1017,6 +1019,11 @@ public class MainController implements Initializable, FrequencyListener, MidiLis
     sliders.add(brightnessSlider);
     return sliders;
   }
+
+  private List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
+    return subControllers().stream().map(SubController::effects).flatMap(Collection::stream).toList();
+  }
+
   private List<String> labels() {
     List<String> labels = new ArrayList<>();
     subControllers().forEach(controller -> labels.addAll(controller.labels()));
@@ -1131,6 +1138,9 @@ public class MainController implements Initializable, FrequencyListener, MidiLis
 
       subControllers().forEach(controller -> controller.save(document).forEach(root::appendChild));
 
+      Element element = document.createElement("checkBoxes");
+      effects().forEach(effect -> effect.save(document).forEach(element::appendChild));
+
       Element flipX = document.createElement("flipX");
       Element flipY = document.createElement("flipY");
       flipX.appendChild(document.createTextNode(String.valueOf(flipXCheckMenuItem.isSelected())));
@@ -1267,6 +1277,13 @@ public class MainController implements Initializable, FrequencyListener, MidiLis
 
       subControllers().forEach(controller -> controller.load(root));
 
+      Element element = (Element) root.getElementsByTagName("checkBoxes").item(0);
+      if (element != null) {
+        effects().forEach(effect -> effect.load(element));
+      } else {
+        effects().forEach(effect -> effect.setAnimationType(AnimationType.STATIC));
+      }
+
       Element flipX = (Element) root.getElementsByTagName("flipX").item(0);
       Element flipY = (Element) root.getElementsByTagName("flipY").item(0);
       if (flipX != null) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ObjController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ObjController.java
index 464f3ac..2321a9a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ObjController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/ObjController.java
@@ -44,14 +44,10 @@ public class ObjController implements Initializable, SubController {
   @FXML
   private Button resetObjectRotationButton;
 
-  private List<EffectComponentGroup> effectComponentGroups() {
-    return List.of(focalLength, rotateX, rotateY, rotateZ, rotateSpeed);
-  }
-
   @Override
   public Map<SVGPath, Slider> getMidiButtonMap() {
     Map<SVGPath, Slider> map = new HashMap<>();
-    effectComponentGroups().forEach(ecg -> map.putAll(ecg.getMidiButtonMap()));
+    effects().forEach(effect -> map.putAll(effect.getMidiButtonMap()));
     return map;
   }
 
@@ -151,55 +147,40 @@ public class ObjController implements Initializable, SubController {
     rotateZ.setAnimator(new EffectAnimator(DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE, new ConsumerEffect(this::setObjRotateZ)));
     rotateSpeed.setAnimator(new EffectAnimator(DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE, new ConsumerEffect(this::setObjectRotateSpeed)));
 
-    effectComponentGroups().forEach(effect -> effect.setEffectUpdater(this::updateEffect));
-  }
-
-  // selects or deselects the given audio effect
-  public void updateEffect(EffectType type, boolean checked, SettableEffect effect) {
-    if (type != null) {
-      if (checked) {
-        audioPlayer.addEffect(type, effect);
-      } else {
-        audioPlayer.removeEffect(type);
-      }
-    }
+    effects().forEach(effect -> effect.setEffectUpdater(audioPlayer::updateEffect));
   }
 
   @Override
   public List<BooleanProperty> micSelected() {
-    return effectComponentGroups().stream().map(EffectComponentGroup::isMicSelectedProperty).toList();
+    return effects().stream().map(EffectComponentGroup::isMicSelectedProperty).toList();
   }
 
   @Override
   public List<Slider> sliders() {
-    return effectComponentGroups().stream().map(EffectComponentGroup::sliders).flatMap(List::stream).toList();
+    return effects().stream().map(EffectComponentGroup::sliders).flatMap(List::stream).toList();
   }
 
   @Override
   public List<String> labels() {
-    return effectComponentGroups().stream().map(EffectComponentGroup::getLabel).toList();
+    return effects().stream().map(EffectComponentGroup::getLabel).toList();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public List<EffectComponentGroup> effects() {
+    return List.of(focalLength, rotateX, rotateY, rotateZ, rotateSpeed);
   }
 
   @Override
   public List<Element> save(Document document) {
-    Element element = document.createElement("objController");
-    effectComponentGroups().forEach(effect -> effect.save(document).forEach(element::appendChild));
-    return List.of(element);
+    return List.of(document.createElement("null"));
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void load(Element root) {
-    Element element = (Element) root.getElementsByTagName("objController").item(0);
-    if (element != null) {
-      effectComponentGroups().forEach(effect -> effect.load(element));
-    } else {
-      effectComponentGroups().forEach(effect -> effect.setAnimationType(AnimationType.STATIC));
-    }
-  }
+  public void load(Element root) {}
 
   @Override
   public void micNotAvailable() {
-    effectComponentGroups().forEach(EffectComponentGroup::micNotAvailable);
+    effects().forEach(EffectComponentGroup::micNotAvailable);
   }
 
   public void renderUsingGpu(boolean usingGpu) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/SubController.java b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/SubController.java
index 389a297..a4a2122 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/SubController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sh/ball/gui/controller/SubController.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import javafx.scene.shape.SVGPath;
 import org.w3c.dom.Document;
 import org.w3c.dom.Element;
 import org.w3c.dom.Node;
+import sh.ball.gui.components.EffectComponentGroup;
 
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -20,6 +21,8 @@ public interface SubController {
 
   List<String> labels();
 
+  List<EffectComponentGroup> effects();
+
   List<? extends Node> save(Document document);
 
   void load(Element root);