Convert an MP3 from 48000 to 44100 Hz ffmpeg doesn't look to be the appropriate tool; I'd normally use sox for audio-only files. $ sox file1.mpg -r 44100 file1-enc.mpg If you want to try using ffmpeg anyway, I think the correct command would be $ ffmpeg -i file1.mpg -ar 44100 file1-enc.mpg Convert bit rate $ sox file1.mpg -b 16 file1-enc.mpg