A
lavalier microphone or
lavalier (or
lav or
lapel mic) is a small
electret or
dynamic microphone used for television, theatre, and public speaking applications, in order to allow hands-free operation. They are most commonly provided with small clips for attaching to collars, ties, or other clothing. The cord may be hidden by clothes and either run to a
radio frequency transmitter or a pocket-sized digital audio recorder kept in a pocket or clipped to a belt (for mobile work), or directly to the mixer (for stationary applications).