Using Newtonian theory, we discuss the possibility of forced resonant phenomena being excited by means of gravitational perturbations coming from surface features on the neutron star and from the companion star. For each potential perturbation source, wehave determined the Fourier decomposition of the gravitational perturbing forces acting on disc elements in the radial and vertical directions. The analysis presented for the binary companion can be applied also to black hole systems but the surface features would not be present in that case.