Set Integrated Loudness Target in FFmpeg loudnorm

This article explains how to set the integrated loudness target (I) using the loudnorm filter in FFmpeg. You will learn the exact command-line syntax, the parameter options, and how to apply this filter to normalize your audio files to specific target levels, such as -16 LUFS for web/podcasts or -24 LUFS for television broadcasting.

The loudnorm filter in FFmpeg is an automatic loudness normalization filter that conforms to the EBU R128 standard. To set the integrated loudness target, you use the I (or integrated) option within the filter arguments.

The Basic Syntax

To set the integrated loudness target, use the following syntax structure in your FFmpeg command:

ffmpeg -i input.mp3 -af loudnorm=I=-16 output.mp3

In this command: * -af specifies that you are applying an audio filter. * loudnorm calls the loudness normalization filter. * I=-16 sets the integrated loudness target to -16 LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale).

Parameter Details

• Option Name: I or integrated
• Value Range: -70.0 to -5.0
• Default Value: -24.0 LUFS (the standard for US and European television broadcast)
• Common Targets:
  • -16.0 LUFS for podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and other web platforms.
  • -24.0 LUFS for ATSC A/85 and EBU R128 broadcast standards.

Combining with Other Loudnorm Targets

For best results, you can define other companion parameters such as Loudness Range (LRA) and True Peak (TP) alongside the integrated loudness target.

Here is an example configuring all three standard targets:

ffmpeg -i input.wav -af loudnorm=I=-16:LRA=11:TP=-1.5 output.wav

In this example: * I=-16 sets the integrated loudness target to -16 LUFS. * LRA=11 sets the loudness range target to 11 LU. * TP=-1.5 sets the maximum true peak target to -1.5 dBTP.