Lower tone - Geon

Japanese: 下音 - げおん

It is one of the melodic forms of Buddhist music, Koshiki, and Heikyoku, whose lyrics are based on The Tale of the Heike. The Shiyo-on of Koshiki is a relatively short melody form following the Shiyo-ju, and has the same function and melody as the Niju, but the range is lower than the Niju and is almost close to that of the Shiyo-ju. It is used less frequently than the Niju. The Shiyo-on of Heikyoku is placed before the Niju in the Hibikimono, and is used together with the Niju in heroic scenes. In addition, there is a field called Shiyo-on, which refers to the low range and its melodies, and the scale notes (ge) of Noh are sometimes called Shiyo-on.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

仏教音楽の講式や，《平家物語》を詞章とする平曲の旋律型の一つ。講式の下音は，初重（しよじゆう）に続く比較的短い旋律型で，二重と同じような機能と曲調だが，音域が二重より低く，初重のそれにほぼ近いものをいう。二重の場合より使用頻度は小さい。平曲の下音は拾イ物において上音に前置され，上音とともに勇壮な場面に用いられる。そのほか，低い音域やその旋律を下音という分野があり，謡の音階音〈下（げ）〉を下音ということがある。

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