diff --git a/osu.Desktop.VisualTests/Tests/TestCaseManiaHitObjects.cs b/osu.Desktop.VisualTests/Tests/TestCaseManiaHitObjects.cs
index b2baf26228..093b6f1e01 100644
--- a/osu.Desktop.VisualTests/Tests/TestCaseManiaHitObjects.cs
+++ b/osu.Desktop.VisualTests/Tests/TestCaseManiaHitObjects.cs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using OpenTK.Graphics;
 
 namespace osu.Desktop.VisualTests.Tests
 {
@@ -31,7 +32,8 @@ namespace osu.Desktop.VisualTests.Tests
                     new DrawableNote(new Note())
                     {
                         Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
-                        Origin = Anchor.Centre
+                        Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+                        AccentColour = Color4.Red
                     }
                 }
             });
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableNote.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableNote.cs
index d9603fb8ea..2b2b6e5b1a 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableNote.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/DrawableNote.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
 using OpenTK.Graphics;
+using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Sprites;
@@ -17,7 +18,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects.Drawables
         public DrawableNote(Note hitObject)
             : base(hitObject)
         {
-            Add(new NotePiece());
+            Add(headPiece = new NotePiece());
+        }
+
+        [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
+        private void load()
+        {
+            headPiece.AccentColour = AccentColour;
         }
 
         protected override void UpdateState(ArmedState state)
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/Pieces/NotePiece.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/Pieces/NotePiece.cs
index e456dc3363..90456f4f62 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/Pieces/NotePiece.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/Objects/Drawables/Pieces/NotePiece.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
 using OpenTK.Graphics;
+using osu.Framework.Extensions.Color4Extensions;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Sprites;
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects.Drawables.Pieces
                     Origin = Anchor.TopCentre,
                     RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.X,
                     Height = head_colour_height,
-                    Alpha = 0.5f
+                    Alpha = 0.2f
                 }
             };
         }
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Objects.Drawables.Pieces
                     return;
                 accentColour = value;
 
-                colouredBox.Colour = AccentColour;
+                colouredBox.Colour = AccentColour.Lighten(0.9f);
 
                 EdgeEffect = new EdgeEffect
                 {