diff --git a/app/MainWindow.cpp b/app/MainWindow.cpp
index 5e0eb52..b7412ca 100644
--- a/app/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/app/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(const string &port, const string &audio_port, const strin
     m_last_file("."),
     m_feedback(port),
     m_audio_port(audio_port),
-    m_process_port(process_port)
+    m_process_port(process_port),
+    m_format_string("Microsoft WAV (*.wav);;SGI/Apple AIFF (*.aiff);;SGI/Apple AIFC (*.aifc);;Sun/DEC/NeXT AU (*.au);;Sun/DEC/NeXT SND (*.snd);;Fasttracker 2 XI (*.xi);;All files (*.*)")
 {
   m_sound_item_enable_mapper = new QSignalMapper(this);
   m_sound_item_delete_mapper = new QSignalMapper(this);
diff --git a/app/MainWindow.h b/app/MainWindow.h
index 7500cdb..48ab6b5 100644
--- a/app/MainWindow.h
+++ b/app/MainWindow.h
@@ -206,11 +206,10 @@ private slots:
 
   void run_slot() {}
   void load_target() {
-    m_last_file=QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(
-                                             this,
-                                             QString("Select an wav file"),
+    m_last_file=QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(this,
+                                             QString("Select an audio file"),
                                              m_last_file,
-                                             QString("Sounds (*.wav)"));
+                                             m_format_string);
 
     send_process_osc("/load_target","s",m_last_file.toStdString().c_str());
   }
@@ -222,26 +221,25 @@ private slots:
   void fft_spectrum_size(int) {}
   void generate() { send_process_osc("/generate_brain",""); }
   void load_sound() {
-    m_last_file=QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(
-                                             this,
+    m_last_file=QFileDialog::getOpenFileName(this,
                                              QString("Select a wav file"),
                                              m_last_file,
-                                             QString("Sounds (*.wav)"));
+                                             m_format_string);
 
-    send_process_osc("/load_sample","s",m_last_file.toStdString().c_str());
-
-    sound_items::sound_item &si = m_sound_items.add(m_Ui.brain_contents, m_last_file.toStdString(),true);
-
-    QObject::connect(si.m_enable, SIGNAL(clicked()), m_sound_item_enable_mapper, SLOT(map()));
-    m_sound_item_enable_mapper->setMapping(si.m_enable, si.m_id);
-    QObject::connect(si.m_del, SIGNAL(clicked()), m_sound_item_delete_mapper, SLOT(map()));
-    m_sound_item_delete_mapper->setMapping(si.m_del, si.m_id);
+    if (m_last_file!="") {
+      send_process_osc("/load_sample","s",m_last_file.toStdString().c_str());
+      sound_items::sound_item &si = m_sound_items.add(m_Ui.brain_contents, m_last_file.toStdString(),true);
+      QObject::connect(si.m_enable, SIGNAL(clicked()), m_sound_item_enable_mapper, SLOT(map()));
+      m_sound_item_enable_mapper->setMapping(si.m_enable, si.m_id);
+      QObject::connect(si.m_del, SIGNAL(clicked()), m_sound_item_delete_mapper, SLOT(map()));
+      m_sound_item_delete_mapper->setMapping(si.m_del, si.m_id);
+    }
   }
 
 
   void load_sounds() {
     m_last_file=QFileDialog::getExistingDirectory(this,
-                                                  QString("Select a directory"),
+                                                  QString("Select a directory of wav files"),
                                                   m_last_file);
 
 
@@ -319,7 +317,7 @@ private slots:
                                                this,
                                                QString("Select a wav file"),
                                                m_last_file,
-                                               QString("Sounds (*.wav)"));
+                                               QString("Sounds (*.wav);;All files (*.*)"));
       m_save_wav = m_last_file.toStdString();
       // chop off .wav
       size_t pos = m_save_wav.find_last_of(".");
@@ -345,7 +343,7 @@ private slots:
                                              this,
                                              QString("Select a brain file"),
                                              m_last_file,
-                                             QString("Brains (*.brain)"));
+                                             QString("Brains (*.brain);;All files (*.*)"));
 
     send_process_osc("/load_brain","s",m_last_file.toStdString().c_str());
   }
@@ -354,7 +352,7 @@ private slots:
                                              this,
                                              QString("Select a brain file"),
                                              m_last_file,
-                                             QString("Brains (*.brain)"));
+                                             QString("Brains (*.brain);;All files (*.*)"));
 
     send_process_osc("/save_brain","s",m_last_file.toStdString().c_str());
   }
@@ -364,7 +362,7 @@ private slots:
                                              this,
                                              QString("Select a session file"),
                                              m_last_file,
-                                             QString("Sessions *.samplebrain (*.samplebrain)"));
+                                             QString("Sessions *.samplebrain (*.samplebrain);;All files (*.*)"));
 
     send_process_osc("/load_session","s",m_last_file.toStdString().c_str());
     init_from_session(m_last_file.toStdString());
@@ -455,5 +453,5 @@ private:
   
   string m_audio_port;
   string m_process_port;
-
+  QString m_format_string;
 };
diff --git a/brain/src/brain.cpp b/brain/src/brain.cpp
index 6c63289..7625cb4 100644
--- a/brain/src/brain.cpp
+++ b/brain/src/brain.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ void brain::load_sound(std::string filename, stereo_mode mode) {
     delete[] temp;
     m_samples.push_back(sound(filename,s));
     status::update("loaded %s",filename.c_str());
+  } else {
+    status::update("problem loading %s",filename.c_str());
   }
 }