Ubuntu :: Alsamixer Startup "speaker" Level (and Screen Brightness Startup Level)

I just upgraded to the 10.04 and everything works just fine as before (except for skype but that really doesn't matters as it has already been 3 years I'm using ubuntu and I managed to get it to work only once, for miracle I believe ^^). The only real issue I have is this: when I start up my laptop, after the log-in, no sound will be heared as the "speaker" volume level in alsamixer is set to 0; if I raise it from the terminal running alsamixer (as I don't know any other alternative) everything plays just fine, but the next time I boot I do have to do it all over again... So, how can I change the default startup level of the "speaker" in alsamixer?

PS: by the way I do have the very same issue with the screen luminosity but the other way round as is always starts at maximum brightness and I can't manage to get it to start at the minimum, as it did before. At least reducing the backlight if far more quick but a couple of times I forget it and the battery lasted something like half an hour