A system includes a rotary machine including, a stator, a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator, a plurality of axial grooves disposed along a circumference of the stator or the rotor, a plurality of blade segments disposed along the circumference, wherein each blade segment of the plurality of blade segments comprises a blade coupled to a mounting base supported in a respective axial groove of the plurality of axial grooves, and the plurality of blades has a non-uniform blade spacing about the circumference.