Building Hair Rigs to mount lavaliers in the hair

Updated October 2026

Building a hair clip rig for a lavalier Steps: put a small elastic band over the tines of a mini hair clip; slide the lavalier under the elastic on the center tine; add two or three clips along the cable; place the clips with tines toward the center of the head, under the hair, away from any part. 1Prep the clipOpen a mini hair clip and stretch a smallelastic band over the tines.2Mount the micLift the elastic on the center tine and slidethe lavalier head through.3Add 2 or 3 clipsSlide more clips along the cable to hold itflat.✓Place it in the hairTines point toward the center of the head,under the hair and away from any natural part. Building a hair clip rig for a lavalier Steps: put a small elastic band over the tines of a mini hair clip; slide the lavalier under the elastic on the center tine; add two or three clips along the cable; place the clips with tines toward the center of the head, under the hair, away from any part. 1Prep the clipOpen a mini hair clip andstretch a small elasticband over the tines.2Mount the micLift the elastic on thecenter tine and slide thelavalier head through.3Add 2 or 3 clipsSlide more clips alongthe cable to hold itflat.✓Place it in the hairTines point toward thecenter of the head, underthe hair and away fromany natural part.
The whole method in four steps. Photos for each step below.

Building a Bodymics HCR-style hair clip rig: simple or pro

I like to to mount the mic under the clip - others prefer it over the top.  For really short hair the top is probably better,

Building the clip rig: simple

  1. Start with 2 or 3 Mini Hair Clips (wig clips, Toupee Clips)   Mini hair clip, closed
  2. Open the clip by flexing it against the curve and it will pop openMini hair clip opened by flexing it against the curve
  3. Place small elastic band over the tinesSmall elastic band looped over the clip tines
  4. Then close the clip to hold band in placeElastic band over the tines, seen from the top
  5. From the top (above pic) push the elastic under the center tineElastic tucked under the center tine
  6. Clip is ready to mount onto lavalier.  We usually use 2 or 3 of these clips per microphone.  So build however many you need per the next stage - fitting the microphone.

    Mounting the mic to the hair clip rig

    1. Using a small flat blade screwdriver from the tine side slide the screwdriver under the elastic on the center tine - there will be two (2) runs of elastic here. Note the direction we enter from.Flat screwdriver slid under the elastic on the center tine
    2. Stretch the elastic to create a space big enough to slide the head of the lavalier through .Screwdriver stretching the elastic to make room for the mic
    3. Slide the lavalier into the space created - it slides in the opposite direction than the screwdriver. Lavalier head pushed through the elastic from the tine side
    4. Release the elastic.  Slide along the cable as required.  Repeat to add additional Hair Clip Rigs.Finished hair clip rig with the lavalier mounted

    Heres how 3 would look:

    Three hair clips along a lavalier cable, top view

    Three hair clips along a lavalier cable, bottom view

     

     

     

       

     

     

     

     

     

    Building the clip rig: pro

    For more professional results  you will want the cable to run parallel to the clip (as opposed to perpendicular in the simple method. 

    Construction is similar, except that you push the elastic over the first and last tines.  This time we will run the cable over the top of the clip rather thn the bottom, so that means pushing the elastic from the other side so that on the first and last tines there are two runs of elastic on the top of the clip.

    Again use a small flat bladed screwdriver the create a hole to push the mic through on the first time, and then repeat on the last tine - the cable lays along the clip.

    The idea with these is to always have the tines pointing towards the center of the head and place them under the hair as best as possible away from any natural part to ensure that they are as invisible.

     

     

    Building a hair clip rig: the Broadway method

    Other folks used elastic cord to build a similar rig - it involves using elastic cord that fits through the little holes on the clip and tying it off so that it is tight enough and usually the knots are clued with nail varnish or super glue.

    Courtesy of Shure here is some info on this method of construction plus how to put the rig on an actor.  

    Next step

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