Five diddles and a landing — the roll starts to sing.
The Rudiment
The eleven stroke roll adds another diddle to the family, five double strokes rolling into a single accented tap. At this length the roll begins to feel genuinely sustained, spanning enough of the measure that the ear reads it as a true roll rather than a quick punctuation, yet it still resolves crisply onto its accent. It is a favorite for longer rudimental phrases and for filling more of a beat than the nine stroke roll comfortably covers.
Sticking
The standard sticking is five doubles plus a terminating accent — eleven strokes: RRLL RRLL RR L, accent on the final note, then reversed as LLRR LLRR LL R. The ten rolled notes are played as even doubles, closed or open, leading to the accented eleventh stroke on the beat. Ending on the opposite hand from where it began, the lead hand alternates as the roll repeats.
How to Play
The longer the roll, the more evenness matters — keep all five diddles low, matched, and consistent in spacing so the sustain does not sag in the middle, then drive the eleventh stroke for the accent. Practice it open and slow to guarantee clean second strokes before closing it into a smooth roll. As with all measured rolls, relaxation through the hands keeps the diddles from choking as the count grows.
In Practice
The eleven stroke roll shows up in rudimental solos, marching literature, and orchestral passages calling for a longer measured roll. It follows the Nine Stroke Roll and Ten Stroke Roll and leads toward the Thirteen Stroke Roll as diddles accumulate.