Dave Formula (born David Tomlinson 11 August 1946, Whalley Range, Manchester in England), is an English keyboardist and film-soundtrack composer from Manchester, who played with the post-punk bands Magazine and Visage during the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s and in the "world music" band The Angel Brothers.

Formula lived his early youth in Whalley Range, Manchester.

He worked under the name of David Tomlinson and achieved some success back in the mid-sixties with the R&B blues/soul band St. Louis Union, including appearances on Top of the Pops Thank Your Lucky Stars and in the film The Ghost Goes Gear (also featuring The Spencer Davis Group). At the time he formed the group, he was working as an apprentice television engineer with John Nichols, the band’s bass player. Later he was a cabaret musician and before moving to London, whilst with Magazine, he shared a flat with record producer Martin Hannett.

Formula was a member of Magazine, joining in 1978 after the departure of Bob Dickinson and the release of their debut single "Shot By Both Sides", until the band's breakup in 1981. His multi-layered keyboard sounds, made with equipment including the Yamaha CP70 electric grand piano, Yamaha YC45D Organ, an ARP Odyssey, a Yamaha SS30 string synth, and on later albums a Prophet 5, were a defining part of the band.

Magazine reformed in February 2009 with Formula returning to play keyboards.

Formula joined New Romantic ensemble Visage with Magazine's John McGeoch and Barry Adamson in 1978; he played on their first two albums, Visage and The Anvil. He left the group in 1983 after having some differences with drummer Rusty Egan regarding the musical style of their third album.

Formula was a performing and songwriting member of Ludus in 1982 and remained for at least five years.

He also joined a band called Inaura in the mid-1990s and played on their album One Million Smiles.