Modulation

Simple question: how do people here modulate? Is modulation something that comes naturally to you over the course of a piece, or do you consciously decide to modulate for change in tone/to get to a separate section/whatever reason? Do you plan out your modulation or just let your music go crazy? What are the more planned, theory-oriented approaches to modulation?

I am generally of the opinion that modulations should happen organically, meaning that I usually try not to second guess myself when something seems to happen naturally. However, if I am utilizing a specific harmonic scheme or am using a specific form (most of my compositions are more or less through-composed), that will sometimes dictate what changes will be made in the underlying harmonic structure.

I like modulating to various regions. As for them being organic or inorganic... thats really something I don't think one is qualified to say. Surely any modulation is 'inorganic' - especially since one often establishes the tonal region itself long before the modulation starts (in most cases). I consciously decide on where I want the material to go based on the material I have. If the motives I use, I feel, are rather ambiguous in their display of tonal characteristic - I'll use many different regions throughout. If I feel that the material is more comfortable, development wise, I'll use very few modulations (instead focusing on development constructs themselves). Schoenberg's book is a good resource on this topic - his is the only one that I've read that goes into great detail on harmony and the various regions available.

To address the 'going crazy query', I don't feel with my analysis of various scores that a composer every just 'goes crazy' in choosing tonal regions for modulation... most, if not all are very well thought about in great detail - if not consciously, then subconsciously.

There are a lot of exercises to learn it, however I don't use modulation, because I don't really write consonant pieces at the moment :)

I don't really have to think about it, especially since most of my music is either constantly changing keys (freely tonal, I guess) or atonal.

The only time I will "plan" a modulation is if I'm modulating back to the tonic after a series of other modulations. Otherwise, I usually just come across them by improvising around a certain idea.

my first way:

just flow along. do whatever i want to until i get to the key i want.

my second way:

dominant function chord in new key, resolve it. done.