<human>:  Why is the octave the basis of Western music?
<bot>: The octave is the basis of Western music because it is the first interval that humans can hear. It is also the smallest interval that can be perceived by humans. The octave is the interval between two notes that are an octave apart. For example, the lowest note of the piano is an A and the highest note is an A#. The octave is the interval between these two notes. The octave is also the basis of musical notation. Musical notation is the system that is used to write down the notes and rhythms of a piece of music.