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Thomas Dolby, born Thomas Morgan Robertson, is an English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur, and teacher. He is known for his work in the new wave movement of the early 1980s, which incorporated electronic instruments. Despite his last name, Thomas Dolby did not invent Dolby sound. The technology was actually invented by Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories. Thomas Dolby got his stage name because he always carried a tape recorder with him.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Thomas Morgan Robertson |
| Stage Name | Thomas Dolby |
| Origin of Stage Name | Carried a tape recorder with him |
| Profession | Musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur, teacher |
| Company | Beatnik |
| Inventor of Dolby Sound | Ray Dolby |
| Inventor of Morgan Surround Sound | Thomas Dolby |
| Inventor of Synthesizer in Nokia Phones | Thomas Dolby |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Dolby is not related to Ray Dolby, founder of Dolby Laboratories
Thomas Dolby, born Thomas Morgan Robertson, is an English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur, and teacher. He is best known for his 1980s hits "She Blinded Me with Science" and "Hyperactive!". Dolby has worked as a producer and session musician and is associated with the new wave movement of the early 1980s, a form of pop music that incorporates electronic instruments.
Thomas Dolby is not related to Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories. Ray Dolby was a sound pioneer who gave his name to the company he founded. Thomas Dolby, on the other hand, got his stage name from his friends, who called him "Thomas Dolby" because he always carried a tape recorder with him. Despite this, Dolby Labs sued Thomas Dolby for using the Dolby trademark, but eventually lost the legal battle. The court decided that Dolby Labs had no right to restrict the musician from using the name, as long as he did not release any electronic equipment using the name.
Thomas Dolby did not invent Dolby Sound. He started Morgan Audio Labs and invented Morgan Surround Sound, a single-speaker surround system where the listener wears the speaker cabinet on their head. Dolby Sound was originally called "Doobie" surround sound and was invented by the band Pink Floyd. Thomas Dolby realized the value of this technology and that it had not been patented, so he patented it in his name in 1982.
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Thomas Dolby is the stage name of Thomas Morgan Robertson
The stage name originated from a nickname, "Dolby", that Thomas picked up in the early 1970s, as he was always messing around with keyboards and tapes. The name is derived from the audio noise-reduction process of Dolby Laboratories used for audio recording and playback. Thomas Dolby adopted the stage name to avoid confusion with British singer Tom Robinson, who was popular when he began his career. Early publicity implied that "Dolby" was a middle name, and that Dolby's full name was Thomas Morgan Dolby Robertson. This is legally incorrect, but he does sometimes informally go by the initials TMDR.
Thomas Dolby founded the company Beatnik, a Silicon Valley software company whose technology was used to play internet audio and ringtones, notably on Nokia phones. He also founded Retro Ringtones LLC, which produced the RetroFolio ringtone asset management software suite and offered ringtones for businesses.
Thomas Dolby did not invent Dolby Sound. The "REAL 'inventor of Dolby'" is Ray Dolby, founder of Dolby Laboratories. Thomas Dolby invented Morgan Surround Sound, a single-speaker surround system where the listener wears the speaker cabinet on their head.
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Thomas Dolby invented Morgan Surround Sound
Thomas Dolby, born Thomas Morgan Robertson, is an English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur and teacher. He is best known for his 1980s hit "She Blinded Me with Science", which some have linked to the concept of surround sound.
Thomas Dolby did not invent Dolby Sound. The technology was developed by Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories, and is unrelated to Thomas Dolby. Thomas Dolby got his stage name because he always carried a tape recorder with him.
Thomas Dolby did, however, invent Morgan Surround Sound, a single-speaker surround system where the listener wears the speaker cabinet on their head. This invention is unrelated to Dolby Sound and was developed by Thomas Dolby through his company Morgan Audio Labs.
Thomas Dolby has been involved in several audio technology innovations. He founded the company Headspace in 1993 to provide tools for interactive audio. The company later developed the Rich Music Format (RMF), a downloadable file format designed for internet usage. RMF files offered better sound reproduction and encryption to prevent unauthorised duplication.
In addition, Dolby founded Beatnik Inc., a Silicon Valley software company that developed polyphonic ringtone software and created the iconic Nokia tune. He also founded Retro Ringtones LLC, which produced the award-winning RetroFolio ringtone asset management software.
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Ray Dolby invented the technology behind Dolby sound
The musician Thomas Dolby, whose real name is Thomas Morgan Robertson, did not invent Dolby Sound. Rather, it was Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories, who invented the technology behind Dolby Sound. Ray Dolby is also the father of Thomas "Tom" Dolby, a novelist and filmmaker.
Thomas Dolby, the musician, is known for his work in the new wave movement of the early 1980s, which incorporated electronic instruments into pop music. He has released hit singles such as "She Blinded Me with Science" and "Hyperactive!". He founded the company Beatnik, which created the iconic synthesizer for Nokia phones. Thomas Dolby also invented Morgan Surround Sound, a single-speaker surround system where the listener wears the speaker cabinet on their head.
There is a common misconception that Thomas Dolby invented Dolby Sound. This may be due to the similarity in name, as Thomas Dolby's friends gave him the nickname "Thomas Dolby" because he always carried a tape recorder with him. Dolby Laboratories sued Thomas Dolby for using the Dolby trademark, but he ultimately prevailed and was allowed to use his name on his albums.
It is important to distinguish between Thomas Dolby, the musician and entrepreneur, and Ray Dolby, the sound pioneer who invented the technology behind Dolby Sound. While Thomas Dolby has made contributions to the world of music and technology, the creation of Dolby Sound is attributed to Ray Dolby.
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Thomas Dolby founded Beatnik, a software company
Thomas Dolby, born Thomas Morgan Robertson, is an English musician, record producer, composer, entrepreneur and teacher. He rose to fame in the 1980s with hit singles such as "She Blinded Me with Science" and "Hyperactive!". In the 1990s, Dolby founded Beatnik, a Silicon Valley software company that created technology for internet audio and ringtones.
Beatnik, originally named Headspace, Inc., was established in 1993 to provide tools for interactive audio. Dolby was frustrated by the lack of interactive audio tools at the time. The company created MIDI-based music for WebTV and Dolby composed several key tracks that were bundled with WebTV devices. In 1996, Headspace acquired Igor's Software Laboratories, which was also involved in creating audio for WebTV. This led to the development of the Rich Music Format (RMF) with the RMF file extension, a new downloadable file format designed for internet usage. RMF music files could be played in a browser using the free Beatnik Player plug-in and offered improved sound reproduction and encryption to prevent unauthorised duplication.
In 1999, Headspace, Inc. was renamed Beatnik, Inc. and shifted its focus to software synthesizers for mobile phones. The company licensed its technology to mobile phone manufacturers such as Nokia, and its software was embedded in over two billion cellular phones and devices. Beatnik's technology played a significant role in the shift from monophonic to polyphonic ringtones. However, as truetone ringtones gained popularity, Beatnik went defunct in 2011.
In addition to his work with Beatnik, Thomas Dolby has had a notable career in the music industry. He has worked as a producer and session musician, collaborating with artists such as Foreigner, Def Leppard, George Clinton, and Joni Mitchell. He has also composed soundtracks for various computer games and films, including Howard the Duck and Grand Theft Auto. Dolby has been recognised for his contributions to music and technology, earning five Grammy nominations and holding multiple patents in the field of interactive audio.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Thomas Dolby did not invent Dolby Sound. Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories, was the inventor. Thomas Dolby is the stage name of Thomas Morgan Robertson, an English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur, and teacher.
Thomas Dolby's real name is Thomas Morgan Robertson.
No, Thomas Dolby did not have anything to do with the invention of Dolby Sound. He is a musician and inventor in his own right, but he did not invent Dolby Sound.
Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories, invented Dolby Sound.
No, Thomas Dolby is not related to Ray Dolby. Thomas Dolby is the stage name of Thomas Morgan Robertson, who is unrelated to Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories.
