It also "cracked the clouds" for me to to listen to the mode. I could just never get my head around how two modes that have the same exact notes in it could sound different. With an understanding that I had between the C and Am scales - both having the same notes, I demonstrated this for myself on the piano, which is easy because it is just the white keys, and had an "aha" moment. I also demonstrated this to my wife who plays piano and she thought it was interesting too. Same exact notes played from a different starting/end point.