MIDI pedalboard substitute (build or hack) ??

[k o y l]

As some of you might know, I have this solo music project involving only improvisation.
For this I'm working with the Ableton Live software which host plugins emulating real tape looping devices and a use a Behringer 1010 Midi pedalboard as a "remote" to control when I'm looping what I play or not...

I'm looking forward to play live with this project, and not only in my town: this means travelling by train and taking cabs or friends' cars and to do so I try to make my rig the smallest as I can: I'd basically be able to travel with a guitar, a case full of pedals, the computer and the external soundcard...
I've solved the problem of the amp thanks to guitar rig but there's one big problem that remains: the Behringer pedalboard.
It's very big with lots of pedals + 2 expression pedals but I'm only using 3 pedals on it.. so I'm looking for an alternative.
What I need is some kind of small pedalboard that can send Midi Note on data (because that's the simplest way for Live to do it).. I've browsed the web a bit but can't find what I want: it's always to big or can't send Note-on's..

So I thought: why not build it myself or hack something existing and turn it into a pedalboard that suits my need ??

I've built a few pedals so I know I can use a soldering iron but I don't know anything about MIDI...

So here are my questions:
Is it possible to built a box with 3 switches that send 3 different Note-On messages ?
and How ?? (do they sell "ready to use" MIDI chips for example ??)

Another possibility would be hacking an existing thing: Ableton live recognize Midi Note-on messages or the keys from the computer keyboard... so I've been thinking that I could buy a cheap usb computer keyboard and only use 3 keys on it, which I'd turn into pedal form ??
It of course also be possible to do this with any kind of external musical keyboard or controller (pads etc...)
...again I'm a bit hesitant about how to do it, which I guess will greatly depend on what will be hacked...

Anyway, if you guys could help on this, or if you have any suggestions about the best, most reliable and simplest solution to go for in order to achieve that, that would be really cool..

[aen]

phewww, i dont know... I jut got one of those midi boards though

my only idea is this:

http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfriend.c ... sku=703402


but youd probably have to play with your baRE feet

[smile_man]

Or this:

http://keyboards-midi.musiciansfriend.c ... sku=702910

[k o y l]

Yeah I thought about those.. especially the small one because the big one is big, expensive and there're lots of extras I'll not use. I think I'll end up buying it if I don't find something else but I'd rather find a cheap small keybooard and assign the 3 note on messages I'll use in 3 different area of the keyboard so no matter how many keys my foot will be pushing I'll be sure to push the one key I want (don't if I'm clear enough.)
But I really wish I could build one in a stompbox form.. unfortunately I can't find any info about building simple midi devices..

The other but not cheap at all solution would be to have something built by those guys who make midi controller for contemporary installations and those kind of stuffs.