diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ede2fcc..282e766 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
-# miditoolkit
+# Miditoolkit
 
-A python package for working with MIDI data.
+A Python package for working with MIDI files.
 
-* Version: 0.1.17
-* Latest update date: 2023/10/31
+[![PyPI version fury.io](https://badge.fury.io/py/miditoolkit.svg)](https://pypi.python.org/pypi/miditoolkit/)
+[![Python 3.7](https://img.shields.io/badge/python-3.7+-blue.svg)](https://www.python.org/downloads/release/)
+[![GitHub CI](https://github.com/YatingMusic/miditoolkit/actions/workflows/pytest.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/YatingMusic/miditoolkit/actions/workflows/pytest.yml)
+[![GitHub license](https://img.shields.io/github/license/YatingMusic/miditoolkit.svg)](https://github.com/YatingMusic/miditoolkit/blob/main/LICENSE)
+[![Downloads](https://static.pepy.tech/badge/miditoolkit)](https://pepy.tech/project/miditoolkit)
+[![Code style](https://img.shields.io/badge/code%20style-black-000000.svg)](https://github.com/psf/black)
 
-The usage is similar to [pretty_midi](https://github.com/craffel/pretty-midi), while miditoolkit handles MIDI events in [symbolic timing](https://mido.readthedocs.io/en/latest/midi_files.html#about-the-time-attribute) (**ticks**, instead of seconds). Furthermore, the toolkit can parse MIDI tracks into **piano-rolls** for computation or visualization purposes.
+Miditoolkit works by loading/writing MIDIs with [mido](https://github.com/mido/mido) in a user-friendly way. It is inspired from [pretty_midi](https://github.com/craffel/pretty-midi), with similar usage and core features, but handles the MIDI events in native **[ticks](https://www.recordingblogs.com/wiki/midi-tick)** time unit instead of seconds. It also comes with a few optimizations and speed-ups, and can parse MIDI tracks into **piano-rolls** for computation or visualization purposes.
+If you are working with seconds time units (for e.g. music transcription), you'll be likely better with pretty_midi. Otherwise, if you are working solely on MIDI and symbolic music, miditoolkit should provide slightly faster performances.
 
 ## Main Features
+
 * MIDI
     * Global
         * ticks per beat
@@ -33,6 +39,7 @@ The usage is similar to [pretty_midi](https://github.com/craffel/pretty-midi), w
    * [structure analysis](https://github.com/wayne391/sf_segmenter)
 
 ## TODO
+
 * better documentation
 * absolute timing
 * cropping: Control Changes
@@ -41,13 +48,19 @@ The usage is similar to [pretty_midi](https://github.com/craffel/pretty-midi), w
 * new structural analysis
 
 ## Installation
-* current version: 0.1.15
-* **python 2 is not supported**
-* Install the miditoolkit via [PYPI](https://pypi.org/project/miditoolkit/):
+
+You can install miditoolkit via [PYPI](https://pypi.org/project/miditoolkit/):
+
 ```bash
 pip install miditoolkit
 ```
 
+... or directly from git if you want to get the latest features or fixes (only recommended if you need it):
+
+```bash
+pip install git+https://github.com/YatingMusic/miditoolkit
+```
+
 ## Example Usage
 
 ```python
@@ -61,6 +74,7 @@ print(midi_obj)
 ```
 
 Output:
+
 ```
 ticks per beat: 480
 max tick: 72002
@@ -71,15 +85,14 @@ markers: 71
 lyrics: False
 instruments: 2
 ```
+
 A. [Parse and create MIDI files](examples/parse_and_create_MIDI_files.ipynb)
 B. [Piano-roll Manipulation](examples/pinoroll_manipulation.ipynb)
 
-
 ## Philosophy
-* [pretty_midi](https://github.com/craffel/pretty-midi) can parse MIDI files and generate pianorolls in absolute timing (seconds).
-* [pypianoroll](https://github.com/salu133445/pypianoroll) can parse MIDI files into pianorolls in symbolic timing (through beat resolution).
-* [mido](https://github.com/mido/mido) processes MIDI files in the lower level such as messages and ports.
 
-**Miditoolkit** is designed for handling MIDI in **symbolic timing** (ticks), which is the native format of MIDI timing. We keep the midi parser as simple as possible, and offer several important functions to complete the versatility. For example, piano-rolls, tick-to-second, chromagram, and etc.
+* [mido](https://github.com/mido/mido) processes MIDI files in the lower level such as messages and ports, and is the backend pretty_midi and miditoolkit;
+* [pretty_midi](https://github.com/craffel/pretty-midi) parses MIDI files and pianorolls in seconds time unit, plus has audio related features;
+* [pypianoroll](https://github.com/salu133445/pypianoroll) parses MIDI files into pianorolls in ticks time unit.
 
-To customize settings and maximum the degree of freedom, users can use additional libraries like visualization, which are excluded in the toolkit.
+**Miditoolkit** is designed for handling MIDI in **[ticks](https://www.recordingblogs.com/wiki/midi-tick)**, the native time unit of the MIDI protocol. We keep the midi parser as simple as possible, and offer several important functions to complete the versatility. For example, piano-rolls, tick-to-second, chromagram, etc.