diff --git a/src/base_def.h b/src/base_def.h
index c8ce733..00a77f4 100644
--- a/src/base_def.h
+++ b/src/base_def.h
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     // multi_range.h    
     template <class... Ranges>
     class MultiRange;
+
+    // multi_array.h
+    template <typename T, class Range>
+    class MultiArrayBase;
     
     // multi_array.h
     template <typename T, class Range>
diff --git a/src/multi_array.cc b/src/multi_array.cc
index cb51356..f48fe92 100644
--- a/src/multi_array.cc
+++ b/src/multi_array.cc
@@ -1,34 +1,66 @@
+// -*- C++ -*-
 
 #include "multi_array.h"
 
 namespace MultiArrayTools
 {
+    /**********************
+     *  MultiArrayBase    *	     
+     **********************/
+
+    template <typename T, class Range>
+    MultiArrayBase<T,Range>::MultiArrayBase(const Range& range) : mRange(new Range(range)) {}
+    
+    template <typename T, class Range>
+    size_t MultiArrayBase<T,Range>::size() const
+    {
+	return mRange->size();
+    }
+    
+    template <typename T, class Range>
+    auto MultiArrayBase<T,Range>::begin() -> decltype(Range().begin())
+    {
+	return mRange->begin();
+    }
+
+    template <typename T, class Range>
+    auto MultiArrayBase<T,Range>::end() -> decltype(Range().end())
+    {
+	return mRange->end();
+    }
+
+    template <typename T, class Range>
+    const Range& MultiArrayBase<T,Range>::range() const
+    {
+	return *mRange;
+    }
+
     /*******************
      *  MultiArray     *	     
      *******************/
 
     template <typename T, class Range>
-    MultiArray<T,Range>::MultiArray(const Range& range) : mRange(new Range(range)), mCont(mRange->size())
-    {
-	mInit = true;
-    }
+    MultiArray<T,Range>::MultiArray(const Range& range) :
+	MultiArrayBase<T,Range>(range),
+	mCont(MAB::mRange->size()) {}
 
     template <typename T, class Range>
-    MultiArray<T,Range>::MultiArray(const Range& range, const std::vector<T>& vec) : mRange(new Range(range)),
-										     mCont(vec)
+    MultiArray<T,Range>::MultiArray(const Range& range, const std::vector<T>& vec) :
+	MultiArrayBase<T,Range>(range),
+	mCont(vec)
     {
-	mInit = true;
-	if(mCont.size() > mRange->size()){
-	    mCont.erase(mCont.begin() + mRange->size(), mCont.end());
+	if(mCont.size() > MAB::mRange->size()){
+	    mCont.erase(mCont.begin() + MAB::mRange->size(), mCont.end());
 	}
     }
     
     template <typename T, class Range>
-    MultiArray<T,Range>::MultiArray(const Range& range, std::vector<T>&& vec) : mRange(new Range(range)), mCont(vec)
+    MultiArray<T,Range>::MultiArray(const Range& range, std::vector<T>&& vec) :
+	MultiArrayBase<T,Range>(range),
+	mCont(vec)
     {
-	mInit = true;
-	if(mCont.size() > mRange->size()){
-	    mCont.erase(mCont.begin() + mRange->size(), mCont.end());
+	if(mCont.size() > MAB::mRange->size()){
+	    mCont.erase(mCont.begin() + MAB::mRange->size(), mCont.end());
 	}
     }
     
@@ -51,24 +83,6 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	return MultiArrayOperationRoot<T,Range>(*this, Name("master", str...));
     }
 
-    template <typename T, class Range>
-    size_t MultiArray<T,Range>::size() const
-    {
-	return mRange->size();
-    }
-
-    template <typename T, class Range>
-    auto MultiArray<T,Range>::begin() -> decltype(Range().begin())
-    {
-	return mRange->begin();
-    }
-
-    template <typename T, class Range>
-    auto MultiArray<T,Range>::end() -> decltype(Range().end())
-    {
-	return mRange->end();
-    }
-
     template <typename T, class Range>
     bool MultiArray<T,Range>::isSlice() const
     {
diff --git a/src/multi_array.h b/src/multi_array.h
index 3f6fd66..a4de6af 100644
--- a/src/multi_array.h
+++ b/src/multi_array.h
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 // -*- C++ -*-
 
 #ifndef __multi_array_h__
@@ -14,12 +13,38 @@
 
 namespace MultiArrayTools
 {
-   
+
     template <typename T, class Range>
-    class MultiArray
+    class MultiArrayBase
     {
     public:
 
+	DEFAULT_MEMBERS(MultiArrayBase);
+	MultiArrayBase(const Range& range);
+	
+	virtual T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i) = 0;
+	virtual const T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i) const = 0;
+
+	virtual size_t size() const; 
+	virtual bool isSlice() const = 0;
+	
+	virtual auto begin() -> decltype(Range().begin());
+	virtual auto end() -> decltype(Range().end());
+
+	virtual const Range& range() const;
+	
+    protected:
+	std::shared_ptr<Range> mRange;
+
+    };
+    
+    template <typename T, class Range>
+    class MultiArray : public MultiArrayBase<T,Range>
+    {
+    public:
+
+	typedef MultiArrayBase<T,Range> MAB;
+
 	DEFAULT_MEMBERS(MultiArray);
 	MultiArray(const Range& range);
 	MultiArray(const Range& range, const std::vector<T>& vec);
@@ -27,23 +52,13 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	
 	template <class... NameTypes>
 	MultiArrayOperationRoot<T,Range> operator()(const NameTypes&... str);
+
+	T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i) override;
+	const T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i) const override;
 	
-	T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i);
-	const T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i) const;
-
-	size_t size() const; 
-
-	virtual bool isSlice() const;
-	
-	auto begin() -> decltype(Range().begin());
-	auto end() -> decltype(Range().end());
-
-    protected:
-
-	std::shared_ptr<Range> mRange;
+	virtual bool isSlice() const override;
 	
     private:
-	bool mInit = false;
 	std::vector<T> mCont;
     };
 
diff --git a/src/multi_array_operation.cc b/src/multi_array_operation.cc
index 10615a5..ecde2e2 100644
--- a/src/multi_array_operation.cc
+++ b/src/multi_array_operation.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 
     template <typename T, class Range>
     MultiArrayOperationRoot<T,Range>::
-    MultiArrayOperationRoot(MultiArray<T,Range>& ma,
+    MultiArrayOperationRoot(MultiArrayBase<T,Range>& ma,
 			    const Name& nm) :
 	MultiArrayOperationBase<T>(),
 	mArrayRef(ma),
diff --git a/src/multi_array_operation.h b/src/multi_array_operation.h
index e77b6b1..e44a9a7 100644
--- a/src/multi_array_operation.h
+++ b/src/multi_array_operation.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	typedef MultiArrayOperationBase<T> MAOB;
 	typedef decltype(MultiArray<T,Range>().begin()) IndexType;
 	
-	MultiArrayOperationRoot(MultiArray<T,Range>& ma, const Name& nm);
+	MultiArrayOperationRoot(MultiArrayBase<T,Range>& ma, const Name& nm);
 	MultiArrayOperationRoot& operator=(const MultiArrayOperationRoot& in);
 
 	template <class Operation, class... MAOps>
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	
     protected:
 	
-	MultiArray<T,Range>& mArrayRef;
+	MultiArrayBase<T,Range>& mArrayRef;
 	mutable IndexType mIndex;
 	Name mNm;
     };
diff --git a/src/slice.cc b/src/slice.cc
index f8b3d46..1aa1554 100644
--- a/src/slice.cc
+++ b/src/slice.cc
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 
     template <typename T, class Range, class MARange, class Index>
     Slice<T,Range,MARange,Index>::
-    Slice(const Range& range, const Index& slicePos) :
-	MA::mRange(new Range(range)),
+    Slice(MultiArrayBase<T,MARange>& ma, const Index& slicePos) :
+	MultiArrayBase<T,Range>(ma.range()),
+	multiArrayRef(ma),
 	mSlicePos(slicePos) {}
 
     template <typename T, class Range, class MARange, class Index>
diff --git a/src/slice.h b/src/slice.h
index 0331118..7c295af 100644
--- a/src/slice.h
+++ b/src/slice.h
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
     // MARange = original range of multi array of which this is the slice
     // Index = index which determines the slice position (remnant of MARange w.o. Range)
     template <typename T, class Range, class MARange, class Index>
-    class Slice : public MultiArray<T,Range> // yes, Range is correct !!!
+    class Slice : public MultiArrayBase<T,Range> // yes, 'Range' is correct !!!
     {
 	//MA::mCont has to be empty; only make use of the provided functions
     public:
 
-	typedef MultiArray<T,MARange> MA;
+	typedef MultiArrayBase<T,MARange> MAB;
 
-	Slice(const Range& range, const Index& slicePos);
+	Slice(MultiArray<T,MARange>& ma, const Index& slicePos);
 
 	T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i) override;
 	const T& operator[](const typename Range::IndexType& i) const override;
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace MultiArrayTools
 	
     private:
 
-	MultiArray<T,MARange>& multiArrayRef;
+	MultiArrayBase<T,MARange>& multiArrayRef;
 	IndefinitIndexBase* mMAPtr; // idx ptr for original MA Range
 	IndefinitIndexBase* mOwnPtr; // idx ptr for own Range
 	Index mSlicePos;