midi pad controller a sensible thing for DL4?

[jiwanshaktis]

Hi people, I am new to both the DL4 and midi so am working out what it sensible and possible. I read what I could find on the knowledge base and could not find an answer to this one.

 

I want to start learning to use midi to control the DL4. I see that one solution is to use another stomp box like the Morningstar MC3 (currently out of stock because of chip shortage or I might get one), but what I really would like to have is a little set of pads/faders that I can put next to my small board that I use for live performance, and trigger the midi stuff by **hand**, not foot. Is there a pad controller that makes sense for this? Just to be able to reach over and tap a pad and switch models.

 

I have an MPK mini that seems like it could work perhaps by using a Voodoo Labs Uno to connect the USB midi out from the MPK to the regular midi in on the DL4. I also have a mini Korg that I think can be used as a controller and would be a simple midi connection, but seems like overly large for what I need. I had a music store cat suggest I could build one myself fairly simply and inexpensively using an arduino chip as discussed on the musiconerd YouTube channel, and this is seeming to make some sense, even though I don't really want another project :) So puzzling this out. How best to do this? Any advice would be appreciated.