Connect the supplied 9-volt AC adapter to the adapter socket on the rear panel of the RC-2. Connect the plug to a mains supply.
Connect an instrument cable to your guitar output jack. Connect the other end to the "Input" jack on the right side of the Loop Station. Connect a second instrument cable to the "Output" jack on the left side of the Loop Station. Connect the other end of that jack to the amplifier. If you are integrating the RC-2 into a pedal chain, place it at the end so that unit loops the complete sound of your guitar. Placing effects after a loop unit can result in a muddy sound. In such cases, connect a patch lead to the output of the penultimate pedal in the chain and the input of of the RC-2.
Connect any auxiliary devices, such as sequencers, to the "Aux In" jack located below the "Input" jack. You can loop external sound sources as well as your guitar with the Boss RC-2.
Adjust the "Mode" dial to select your desired time signature. A time signature selection is not necessary to store a loop, but the processor is more likely to begin the loop at exactly the correct moment if you set the time signature in advance.
Play a sequence of notes on the guitar. When you have finished, press the foot switch twice to stop recording. This automatically stores the music that you just played in the first empty patch of the eleven storage patches. If all patches are empty, the RC-2 will store it in patch 1.
Turn the "Phrase Select" dial to access pre-recorded loops. Press the foot switch once to trigger these dials. Press it again to enable recording. This approach lets you record live, on top of a pre-recorded loop to create a polyphonic layered sound.