Solid rocket motors can be limited to a percentage of their maximum output while you're building the rocket! This really upped my game when I figured it out. I try to plan my first solid booster stage to end before I need to extend the gravity turn into orbit, so I can shed the solid rocket booster mass and make the best use of my liquid booster delta-V, and additionally so the jettisoned solid boosters don't end up in orbit with me.
During launch, the only real timing or skill involved was knowing when to start turning east (around 10km, imho), and knowing how to keep your speed below the thresholds that air resistance was eating your delta-V (there's charts around to help with that, but it's not hard).
If you're using solid rocket motors that can't be throttled or stopped, you have a bit less control.