Morning prayers with Carlebach melodies

There is an argument in our synagogue, which melodies to use during the morning prayers. Some say we should use the Carlebach melodies, and some advocate using other catchy melodies. This will cause the prayers to be very long, but it will also allow people to be more connected to them. Some say that this presents several halachic problems. We need instructions, what we should do, and what we shouldn’t do.

Dear …!

It really is important to have longer prayers on the Sabbath and to add melodies and tunes to one’s prayers. But one has to pay attention to several rules:

1. Make sure that the singing will not cause the public to say the Shema after the prescribed time.
2. Also, make sure that the public will be able to finish the shmone-esre prayer on time, before the time limit prescribed by halacha.
3. Make sure that the public finishes everything, all the morning prayer and the kiddush that is held afterwards, in time for everyone to return home and start the Shabbos meal before noon.
4. Melodies have to be such that the words are sung, but not in a way that there be large gaps between words and especially that there be no interruptions in the middle of a word.
5. One has to be careful that the melody at the end of a blessing not prevent the public from answering “amen” immediately after the blessing has been recited.

Shulchan Oruch, section Orach Chaim, chapter 281, §1; Mishnah Berurah, ibid., subsections 1, 3, 4, 5