diff --git a/db_reader.py b/db_reader.py
index 8cc7512..6a3957b 100644
--- a/db_reader.py
+++ b/db_reader.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import argparse
-from dataclasses import dataclass
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import List, Tuple
+from struct import unpack_from, unpack
+from typing import List, Tuple, BinaryIO
 
 MBROLA_VOICES_FOLDER = Path("/usr/share/mbrola/")
 argparser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
@@ -11,6 +12,18 @@ argparser.add_argument("mbrola_db", type=Path,
 PhonemeCode = int
 
 
+def read_str(io: BinaryIO):
+    """Read a string from a binary IO"""
+    output_str = ""
+    while True:
+        char = unpack_from("<c", io.read(1))[0]
+        if char == "\x00":  # null char at the end of string
+            break
+        else:
+            output_str += char
+    return output_str
+
+
 @dataclass
 class DiphoneInfo:
     left: PhonemeCode
@@ -30,22 +43,73 @@ class FrameType:
 @dataclass
 class MbrolaDatabase:
     # TODO : init default values as specified in the database_init
-    freq: int  # Sampling frequency of the database
-    mbr_period: int  # Period of the MBR analysis
-    nb_diphone: int  # Number of  diphones in the database
-    size_mark: int  # Size of the pitchmark part
-    pitch_marks: List[FrameType]
-    size_raw: int  # Size of the wave part
-    raw_offset: int  # Offset for raw samples in database
-    max_frame: int  # Maximum number of frames encountered for a diphone in the dba
-    max_samples: int  # Size of the diphone buffer= 0 means let me manage it myself
-    magic_header: Tuple[int, int]  # Magic header of the database
-    version: str  # version of the database
-
-    info: List[str]
-    silence_phone: str  # silence symbol in the database
     db_path: Path  # name of database
 
+    coding: int = 1  # database format. Might be useless
+    freq: int = 0  # Sampling frequency of the database
+    mbr_period: int = 0  # Period of the MBR analysis
+    nb_diphone: int = 0  # Number of  diphones in the database
+    size_mark: int = 0  # Size of the pitchmark part
+    size_raw: int = 0  # Size of the wave part
+    raw_offset: int = 0  # Offset for raw samples in database
+    max_frame: int = 0  # Maximum number of frames encountered for a diphone in the dba
+    max_samples: int = 0  # Size of the diphone buffer= 0 means let me manage it myself
+    magic_header: str = "MBROLA"  # Magic header of the database
+    version: str = "2.06"  # version of the database
+    info: List[str] = ""
+    silence_phone: str = "_"  # silence symbol in the database
+
+    pitch_marks: List[FrameType] = field(default=list)
+
+    def read_header(self, db_file: BinaryIO):
+        """Reads the database header"""
+        self.magic_header = db_file.read(6).decode()
+        self.version = db_file.read(5).decode()
+        self.nb_diphone = unpack_from("<h", db_file.read(2))[0]
+        old_size_mark = unpack_from("<H", db_file.read(2))[0]
+        if old_size_mark == 0:
+            self.size_mark = unpack_from("<i", db_file.read(4))[0]
+        else:
+            self.size_mark = old_size_mark
+        self.size_raw = unpack_from("<i", db_file.read(4))[0]
+        self.freq = unpack_from("<h", db_file.read(2))[0]
+        self.mbr_period = unpack_from("<B", db_file.read(1))[0]
+        self.coding = unpack_from("<B", db_file.read(1))[0]
+
+    def read_index(self, db_file: BinaryIO):
+        """Reads the index table of diphones"""""
+        pass
+
+    def read_pitchmarks(self, db_file: BinaryIO):
+
+        i = 0
+        pm_index = 0  #  cumulative position in pitch mark vector
+        wav_index = 0  #   cumulative position in the waveform database
+        while (pm_index != self.size_mark and i < self.nb_diphone):
+            left = read_str(db_file)
+            right = read_str(db_file)
+            half_segment = unpack_from("<h", db_file.read(2))[0]
+            nb_frames = unpack_from("<B", db_file.read(1))[0]
+            nb_wframe = unpack_from("<B", db_file.read(1))[0]
+
+            position_pm = pm_index
+            pm_index += nb_frames
+
+            if pm_index == self.size_mark:
+                self.silence_phone = left
+
+            i += 1
+
+    def read_info(self, db_file: BinaryIO):
+        pass
+
+    def read_database(self):
+        with open(self.db_path, "rb") as db_file:
+            self.read_header(db_file)
+            self.read_index(db_file)
+            self.read_pitchmarks(db_file)
+            self.read_info(db_file)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     args = argparser.parse_args()
@@ -64,6 +128,18 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         # should read "mbrola"
         mbr_db.magic_header = db_file.read(6).decode()
         mbr_db.version = db_file.read(5).decode()
-        mbr_db.nb_diphone = int.from_bytes(db_file.read(2), byteorder="little")
-
-
+        mbr_db.nb_diphone = unpack_from("<h", db_file)[0]
+        old_size_mark = unpack_from("<H", db_file)[0]
+        if old_size_mark == 0:
+            mbr_db.size_mark = unpack_from("<i", db_file)
+        else:
+            mbr_db.size_mark = old_size_mark
+        mbr_db.size_raw = unpack_from("<i", db_file)
+        mbr_db.freq = unpack_from("<h", db_file)
+        mbr_db.mbr_period = unpack_from("<B", db_file)
+        mbr_db.coding = unpack_from("<B", db_file)
+
+        # TODO:
+        # ReadDatabaseIndex(dba) ||
+        # !ReadDatabasePitchMark(dba) ||
+        #  !ReadDatabaseInfo(dba)